Before I Die
by Oreana Galena
Summary: Before Touya dies from an incurable illness, he wants to see the hidden village of Alma Kinan… [Jin x Touya] [Crossover scenario]
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Notes_**: this story idea came to mind when I got to Alma Kinan in Suikoden III. I enjoyed the area so much that I felt I had to write some story to go with it. Seeing as this game is as old as 2002, I decided to just do a scenery/character cross-over with Jin and Touya going to the well, hidden village. None of the main characters from Suikoden III will be in here mingling with the two demons so you don't need to know any that show up. I just want it to be solely focused on the two demon's relationship so, trust me, you shouldn't be confused.

**_Disclaimer_**: Yu Yu Hakusho's characters were created by Yoshihiro Togashi and Suikoden III and its characters and places are made by Yoshitaka Murayama / Noritada Matsukawa.

**_Description_**: Before Touya dies from an incurable illness, he wants to see the hidden village of Alma Kinan… (**Jin x Touya**) (**Crossover scenario**)

**_Musical Inspiration_**: Mysterious People – Suikoden III soundtrack

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The sun's rays crept over the quiet land, mixed with many beliefs and scarred from a 50 year old war. Zexen's Castle stonewalls illuminated from the rising sun's magical touch, bringing everything within it slowly to life. Doors and windows opened to allow the morning light inside to rejuvenate those that had just woken. The market square hesitated very little as they opened their booths for the coming day. The morning breeze swept tenderly through the large town, wiring about in an invisible dance before creeping up to an open window in the small inn, which was located near the docks.

The whisper of the wind hissed silently through the wood crafted windowsill, teasing the silken, white curtains before whisking over the table and to the two beds, which rested side by side. The bodies underneath the wrinkled, pure white fabrics didn't flinch from the rooster crowing or the feel of the sun's light there against their skin. With the wind not giving up, the currents brushed against the hair strands that could be seen peeking out from the covers that were pulled up close to their chins.

The covers moving off of the bed closest to the door revealed the tall redheaded demon. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Jin pulled himself out from under the fabric to feel the cool, morning air caress his skin. His feet dragging against the wooden floor, he made it to the opened window to lock it back into place. "I guess I forgot to close that window last night," Jin murmured to himself.

His fingers exploring his own, messy hair to catch an annoying itch, he walked over towards the other bed and character within the rented inn. Placing his hand on the lumpy covers, he shook it gently. "Touya, are you awake?"

The person underneath expressed a soft moan, dragging himself steadily out from under the covers to reveal his weary expression and pallid complexion. "Jin, what time is it?" Touya wondered as he rubbed his eyes free of the sleep that had gathered there during the night.

"The sun just rose," Jin responded as he pushed himself up off of the bed, his palms resting on the sheets with a smile. "So, how are you feeling today? Do you feel up to getting something to eat?"

Touya pressed his hands against the bed beneath him to give him the energy to get to his bare feet. He hadn't been feeling all too well lately, but figured with it being the winter season it was just a winter illness he was most likely to catch even if he lived most of his life in the cold mountains as a child. The feeling would come and go dealing with nausea, overheating, and night sweats. Grabbing his brush, which rested on the nightstand right between the two beds, Touya worked on fixing his sky blue hair and aqua colored bangs.

Jin didn't bother with his hair as he walked over to the dresser to pull out his attire for the day. The redhead took his dark brown pants, which already had a black belt looped in the buckle loops, and a short sleeve soft green colored shirt with a lighter hue of brown for the vest he wore over it. Both the shirt and the vest had intricate designs upon them in the color of white. As he lain the fabric out on his bed, Jin grabbed onto the white, night shirt he was wearing to pull it up over his head.

The pants that the redhead had dragged out to wear for the day unraveled, slowly, a small crystal ball, which was rolling steadily from its hiding spot since it was disturbed. The pure white orb rolling off the side of the bed covers, its pure surface hit the floor with a loud tap at first from the fall before rolling across the floorboards to creep under Touya's bed.

Jin's pointed ears catching the sound he looked through the neck of his soft green colored tee he was trying to get on. "What was that?" He asked Touya once he finally got his shirt over his broad chest.

Kneeling down to the hardwood floor, Touya lifted up the covers that draped towards the floor to find the object, which slightly sparkled there in the darkness the bed created. Touya reached for it to pull it out into the light. Blowing the dust and whatever else mated with the clear surface, he showed Jin the item he dropped. "It is your wind rune. You wouldn't want to misplace that, would you?"

A rune was used as ways for people to call upon powers such as fire, wind, water, and thunder to name a few of the elementals. It was mostly found in the possession of warriors, but even commoners could be known to carrier them to protect themselves against foes whether they were from the wild or from the Grassland Clans, as the Zexens weren't too fond of them and called them barbarians. The main elemental runes of the 27 were of fire, wind, water, and thunder and rumors always roamed about the legendary True Runes of those elements that were supposedly super strong and would make the bearer immortal until surrendering its power.

Jin took his rune back from Touya with a soft chuckle. "I most certainly wouldn't want to. Speaking of runes, since you lost yours a few months ago, I was thinking we could go searching for some at Brass Castle seeing as Vinay Del Zexay doesn't have many wonderful ones."

Touya put his brush down where he found it, heading over to the dresser he shared with Jin at the inn room they always had rented out. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to. So far I am not feeling as queasy as I normally am." Opening back up the mahogany drawers etched in designs to pull out his attire, he placed his folded up baggy, deep blue pants on his bed with his black, short sleeve shirt with a few designs that reminded him of his old home back up in the mountain as it was dappled in snow flake designs. "I still wish I could find my old water rune. I can't imagine how it could have fallen from my sword after many years of combat."

"I can't either since normally those runes should be affixed perfectly in the weapon or armor you wear," Jin remarked as he put his brown, leather boots on next that he tucked into his pants. "That is, unless, it was done by someone who was inexperienced."

"Everyone up in the snow capped mountains was experienced," Touya said in his people's defense. "Even if they were cut off from civilization, they knew how to affix runes perfectly." Slipping his bare feet into the sandals he always wore that held a strap, which rested over the top of his foot that were decorated in many soft colors, Touya stretched slightly to pop his weary muscles. "It probably came off because of too many battles it experienced."

"Whatever you say buddy," Jin chuckled, patting the former ice user with his palm. "Now come on, let's go downstairs and get something to eat for breakfast."

Touya blew the candle out that illuminated the room so that it could be saved for later on in the night. He followed behind the tall redhead closely as they both exited the bedroom to be welcomed by the soft spoken people who had entered the inn's bar area already for the morning.

Glasses clanked together as the bartender, who was also the inn owner, filled up some of the glasses of drinks that were already ordered up for the morning. The man's wife took the ground as the only waitress seeing as the inn wasn't very big and neither was the bar area. It was a small inn but well known, nonetheless for the service. The bar was still slightly dim, however, seeing as it too was just waking from the nightly hours. The only things to lighten it back up and show every detail within was the morning sun and the fire, which was lit on the side of the wall closely to the base of the ascending, wooden staircase.

Jin made it down to the last step of the moaning staircase before offering his hand to Touya so that the former water rune wielder could take it and be helped down from the last step or two. "Do you want the usual?" Jin asked silently to his partner, his palm pressing tenderly into Touya's back so as to guide him to the nearest table.

Touya's slender hands graced the wooded table, which was bathing slightly in the candlelight, with his tense body slightly relaxing within the cushioned seat he chose. "Yes, please," he grunted as he got situated in the chair crafted of mahogany. His fingers resting upon the fine craftsmanship, the warm, flickering flame incased in the lamp there on the table warmed his chilly fingers, Touya took in the sights nervously.

The redhead man, well known at the inn, walked over to the innkeeper with a smile to him. "Hey, Simon," Jin said kindly, his arms crossing over the bar top. "Can you give me two jars of milk and the breakfast order?"

"It is interesting to see you in the morning ordering such choices, Jin," Simon replied with a chuckle in the back of his throat as he grabbed the two glasses that the man had asked for so he could fill them up with cow's milk he had within his bar. "I see your friend is out and about for once."

Jin couldn't help but gaze over his shoulder for a moment to look at Touya who appeared quite ill in the face from where he was standing in wait for their order. "Mmm, yes, he is." Shifting his attention back to Simon, he expressed a sigh of sadness.

"What is it?" the innkeeper asked, continuing to play as the bartender as he often did, juggling both jobs. "It is hardly like you to sound so worried or even sad." Finishing with the glasses that were asked, Simon slid one over to Jin in case he was thirsty from a night's work as well as a night's sleep.

His fingers gracing the cold handle of the mug he was given, Jin ruffled up his hair once more with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "I am just worried about him. He was as fit as I was not too long ago, and now he seems like an aging, old man when he doesn't even appear the part." Tapping his finger against the glass he held and claimed as his own, Jin shook his head before looking back within Simon's deep brown eyes. "Just tell me I am overreacting or something."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first," Simon admitted in a joking manner, finishing the meal that Jin had often requested. "I think your working the night hours for the Zexen Knights is what is causing you to go a little loose in the noggin." The innkeeper lining up everything properly on the plates he had ready for Jin, he handed it over to the towering man with a smile of reassurance. "I am sure everything will be fine."

"Thanks, Simon," Jin said in return, accepting the plates even if it was Simon's wife to do the honors as the waitress. Keeping the plates high above his head, Jin made it back over to the wooden table that his friend remained near, placing Touya's plate in front of him as well as his drink. "There we go, Touya. There is your drink and your eggs and biscuits since you don't like meat, you picky eater."

Touya offered a smile to show his acknowledgement in Jin's joke at his vegetarian appetite. "I don't see why you pick at my eating habits when you hardly eat at all, Jin." Picking up the fork closest to him, he began to poke at his eggs to make the yolk run with the white before bothering to eat.

"I have to be slim in order to use my wind rune for flight," Jin reminded Touya as he ate his noodle soup.

"While we are at Brass Castle," Touya began, wiping his mouth with his napkin, "I would like to stop by the bookstore so I can find something to read to pass the time." Touya was known to bypass the time lately in reading about the world he was within. He enjoyed fact over fiction any day, and when he was up in the mountains, he didn't know a thing about those who lived around him.

"Once we hunt for a new water rune, we will do so," Jin agreed as he continued to eat his breakfast meal. "Just eat your food and we will be on our way."

The crowd within the Vinay Del Zexay market talked away and just as loudly as ever as the two eventually made their way out of the inn and into the streets. The silver armor that the Zexen Knights wore clanked loudly as the knights patrolled the streets about every corner. Jin pushed his way through the crowd with Touya right behind him, though he silently held onto the pallid, young man's hand. He was aware if such a thing was caught, people would gasp upon it.

"Don't worry about walking to Brass Castle, Touya," Jin called over the talkative crowd. "I will get you a ride to there without problems."

"Jin, you are being ridiculous," Touya assured his partner as they made it up the steep hill, which curved towards the entrance into Vinay Del Zexay. "I assure you that I can walk by myself. Just because I am sick doesn't necessarily mean I am cripple." Touya had spent most of his time indoors at the inn once he felt weak and unlike himself lately. When local doctors were unable to find the problem and diagnose it, Jin became leery and asked him to remain within the cobblestone walls of Vinay Del Zexay.

"Regardless, old man, I can get you there without you having to lift a leg," Jin assured as he rushed towards the exit of Vinay Del Zexay. Looking over his shoulder at his lagging friend, he laughed at Touya with a grin from ear to ear. "Come on, Touya, try and catch up with me if you're not so weak!" Jin encouraged, his fingers slipping out from his partner's so he could run to the entrance. "I'll beat you to it!"

Feeling Jin's fingers slip from his own, Touya clutched his fists as he put all his strength that he had into his legs. "But that isn't fair! You are ahead of me!" Touya called out over the roaring noises that the city made.

Merely laughing, Jin ran as quickly as he could for the arched entrance and exit made of stone. "Stop making up excuses and hurry up!"

Touya tried with all his might, but he was unable to get to the outside of the large city of Zexen before his taller partner. Trying to catch his breath once outside on the dirt road, he bent slightly over to plant his palms on his thighs. "That wasn't fair, you cheater! You were way ahead of me!"

Jin placed his hands upon his hips with a chuckle tickling the back of his throat at Touya's excuse. "Are you sure you don't need help going to Brass Castle? We need to go through the Zexen Woods to get there and that is quite a walk."

"As I said, I am not a crippled old man," Touya insisted as he tried to recollect himself. Brushing off his attire, he headed on in front of Jin to make it towards the forest that was apart of Zexen's territory. "If I need any help, wait until I collapse," the former water rune user teased, his hands gracing his pockets.

Rolling his eyes at the humor Touya still had to express to him, Jin hurried after him as they made it out of Vinay Del Zexay's gates.

--

The Brass Castle was the main meeting place for the Zexen Knights as well as a great place for merchants and the like to gather to barter and sell their goods and services. It appeared to be a bridge to those from the east heading to the Zexen Council in Vinay Del Zexay to the west. The feel of the cobblestone bridge, which resided several feet in the air to connect to the castle market and meeting quarters for the knights in the center, felt cold to Jin's bare feet as he walked upon it without his boots he had on earlier. His discomfort in the cold was clearly expressed as he jumped slightly from the feel of the stone.

"These boots really need to be fixed," Jin grumbled, making his way over towards a free bench so he could put his shoes back on. "They are much too small."

Touya made it over towards the other bench to sit upon. His arms resting upon his thighs, he watched Jin struggle with his boots since the morning air cooled the walking path. "That is what you get for having big feet."

"You make it sound like I asked for them when I was born!" Jin grumbled as he put his boots back on even if his feet were begging that they be relieved of the footwear. "Well, I guess we best hurry on in and take a look around. It appears that the early bird shoppers are already here, so let us hurry before the good stuff gets taken." Getting to his weary feet, Jin gazed over at Touya to find him looking a little paler than usual. "Touya, Is something the matter?"

Touya's fingers were massaging his forehead as it was pounding and his stomach churning in pain. He dared not admit to the problems knowing how in the past Jin would get worried and send him back home to the Vinay Del Zexay Inn. "I am alright," Touya lied as he got to his feet with Jin's help. "You know how the morning air sometimes does things to me. I am sure I will be fine in a matter of moments."

Jin could tell there was something not right about Touya, but pressed his palm gently into his back to lead him onward down the bridge, which connected to the castle ahead. "Okay…if you say so, kiddo." Slipping his hand into his pocket, he traveled onward with a sigh being released through his nostrils. "So I guess we will stop by the rune store first and then check out your bookstore."

"Thank you, Jin," Touya said in return as they walked through the archway into the castle's first area of stores and gathering sites. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out the book he had read previously. "I have already read everything I could on the Fire Bringer from 50 years ago. It is a very interesting story but incomplete sadly."

"Incomplete, huh?" Jin wondered aloud, watching some of the villagers and knights walking and conversing about the area as they made it through the next stone made archway into the Zexen Knight's meeting, eating, and armor rooms. "I have heard rumors about him, but I am sure they are things you have already read."

"He appeared to be quite the warrior for the Grasslanders," Touya expressed, his fingers rolling over the old covering of the book in his hands. It had seen better days from the look of things as its pages were browned from age and curled slightly due to many over before Touya reading it.

Jin caught some of the knights pausing in their patrols within the castle hearing such a term within their presence. His hand upon his friend's shoulder, he turned Touya towards him to whisper in his ear. "Then you know not to speak about it out loud in these parts. The knights aren't exactly open to the Grasslanders even if some are on occasion spotted here."

The sun graced the two once more as they made it out of the castle and into the main market spot within Brass Castle. The smell of cold was still on the air as the two ventured towards the wooden door that belonged to the rune store within the area. Jin's hand gracing the brass knob, he opened it for Touya as the former water rune user rolled his eyes at the ignorance of the Zexens.

"I wish that the Zexen people and knights would stop being so narrow-minded," he grumbled as Touya walked onward into the store. The curtains draped behind the front desk, where the rune sage sat seemed to glitter when the wind snuck within the building. Bookshelves were on either side, lined with information about the runes and how to use them. Touya had read such information up in the endless winter mountaintops.

Scoffing a bit at his partner's remark, he nudged Touya with his elbow tenderly. "You know you cannot ask people from a 50 year old war to get over such a young whine-fest." Pointing at the runes within view, Jin smiled at his partner. "So—see which one you want."

Touya leaned upon the countertop to take in the runes there before him. His narrow eyes spotted one polished in blue; he embraced it with his hand to bring it closer to him. "This is a water rune. It is the most basic one actually."

"Would you like to buy it?" Jin asked, resting his knuckles against his chin with his elbow upon the counter.

"Well," Touya sighed, "it is the best thing I can get at this moment." Touya missed his old water rune that was most powerful and was given to him by his mother before she passed long ago. It meant a lot to him and still pained Touya that he was without it. Rolling the polished orb over his fingers, he flicked it up in the air when it touched his thumb to grab it in midair. "I guess we will take it."

Digging into his pockets, Jin pulled out the money he had to place it on the counter for the woman. "I guess he wants it." Snapping his fingers at Touya, he motioned for the weapon his partner used.

Touya pulled his sword out of its sheath to place upon the counter for the sage to take. "Can you please make sure it won't move from the sword? My last rune was lost to me in a battle."

"Of course, sir," the young woman replied, taking the weapon as well as the rune that he purchased. "I will have this done within the hour." Moving her long, pure white hair out of her face, she turned to head into the backroom with the items in her possession.

Placing his palm on Touya's back, he patted it before grabbing gently onto the nook of his partner's neck. "Since that is going to take awhile, let's go next door to the bookstore you adore."

Smiling to Jin at the tall redhead next to him, Touya turned on his heels to make it out of the rune store and back into the cool Brass Castle's shopping square. The morning sun beating down on Touya once more made him flinch from the light. Bringing his hand up to block the bright light, he groaned in displeasure with his headache acting back up. The scenery before him began to twist and turn making his stomach act up as it had previously. With his hand over his stomach, he leaned over and purged what little he had consumed before falling over onto his side—blacking out.

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I thought I would put this here since some people have short reading spans in AN and don't read everything. This is for those who want to leave criticism:

**_Reviews_**: I accept reviews as well as criticism; **HOWEVER**, I will not accept criticism from someone who is too chicken to leave their e-mail address or some ways of me being able to get in contact with those who do. I have been horribly critiqued by little children who either hate the subject I am writing about and are trying to cover that up with a harsh critique, or are younger readers and writers who think I have a grammar 'oh-no' when my college grammar teacher has stated otherwise—and I think I will go with the professional.

I want to get better, but I cannot with little children and tweens alike being picky about the subject matter when it doesn't fit to their taste. If you don't like this story because you don't like yaoi, then please do not critique my story, because I know it is hard for people to say what is in everyone's best interest without getting your personal distaste in on the subject matter. I want to be an author and not write fanfics all my life, but please don't try to critique if you're either not an English Major or have not taken college grammar. Just because you wrote a story that got 500 plus reviews doesn't make you the 'biotch of grammar and plotline' so please don't use it as your alibi. I am sorry, but I cannot handle anymore awful critiques from those who don't know what they're saying, but if you do critique and I contact you—don't worry—I am just standing by my story calmly. If I don't—then you did a good job. If you can't critique, a nice review would be just fine.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author's Notes_**: Ah, I am sorry for not updating in awhile. College classes were coming to an end, and I had to complete them. Thank gods above it is over. Thanks as well to those of you who reviewed. You were helpful. Also, be warned that older chapters may be re-updated via fixing of spelling/ grammar/ sentence structure errors, so don't worry about it.

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Touya remained out cold in the bed he was offered in the Brass Castle. Resting upon his back, his expression relaxed, his fingers flinched slightly in movement upon the covers they resided upon. His closed, narrow eyes twitched to show he was trying to rouse himself from the slumber his body was forced within. The young Zexen woman nearby caught the brief movements. Moving closer, she leaned forward to check on the temperature Touya had previously had with the back of her hand.

The feel of the woman's chilly hand against his warm skin made Touya's eyes fly open, inhaling stridently as if he had been suffocating in his sleep. His breaths labored as he sat upright on the bed, he shook the lingering dizziness from his head with a groan. "What—what happened?"

The surprised expression upon the young woman eventually disappeared, seeing the man was alright. "I am relieved to see you made it just fine," she said, moving some of her shoulder length blond hair behind her ear to keep the strands from moving into her sight. "I am not sure myself what happened. Your friend dropped you off in a panic saying you had passed out."

"And he just left me here?" Touya wondered with a slight laugh. "Figures, that boy could never stay put in one spot for more than two seconds."

"He said he was just going to pick up something for you and come right back," the Zexen woman pointed out, heading back over to the check-in desk. "He left just a few minutes ago."

Touya brought his knees up to his chest, looking at the arched windows, which lined the other side of the room, before him. The large, wooden doors creaked on their hinges, revealing the wild redhead soon enough. The four aqua colored bangs hung over Touya's weary face as he did his best to express a smile. "It is good to see you didn't leave me here."

"Why would I?" Jin asked with a broad smile. He sat on the side of the bed with a bag in his possession. Taking special care in moving Touya's bangs out of his way so that Jin could see the rest of the pallid face, he pulled the bag up to the empty space next to him. "I went to the bookstore, and I got you something."

The dazed Touya watched Jin pull out a rather large book with brown, leather binding and old, slightly ratted pages. A rusted, gold lock was on the front as were a few letters, which were hardly legible. Opening his hands to accept the book he hadn't seen before, Touya peeked at it from all angles carefully. "Where did you find this one?"

"Seeing as the woman there knows you well," Jin began as he threw off his boots for a moment, "I asked her what you haven't read yet, and she gave me this book that she rarely gives to others." Messing up Touya's already messy hair, he grinned once more. "She said you deserved it."

"Why was she hiding it?" Touya wondered aloud as he opened the book to skim the first few pages, which were slightly browned.

"She didn't say," Jin responded with a slight shrug. "So, are you feeling better? Are you ready to get up and walk?"

Touya placed the book aside for a moment as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I think so." Pushing the covers off of his body, he got to his feet thanks to Jin's help. His body threatened to slump back over in exhaustion, but Touya fought the feeling to the best of his ability with a slight hum in thought. "So what happened to me anyways? Did I just pass out?"

Jin guided Touya by the hand to the front desk once he put his boots back on. Paying the woman for the briefly rented bed, he smiled to her pleasantly as he gently pushed the water rune user forward. "I don't know. I just witnessed you throw up and then pass out on the ground. You hit the floor so hard that I was worried you could have busted your head."

His fingers rubbing the slightly bruised area, Touya gazed back up at Jin. "It is just slightly tender right there. I don't understand why it just got so hazy, and then I lost all of my energy." Though the two were risking quite a bit to be seen with their hands joined, Touya kept his within Jin's as they exited out of the castle area, heading for the cobblestone bridge beyond the market place.

Jin furrowed his brow in worry as he looked down at his companion whilst they made their way beyond the last archway, which would open up to the lengthy overpass. "You lost your energy again?" He twisted his mouth to the side, humming in thought. "I am beginning to think maybe you're just having withdrawal from your old rune not being in your possession."

"Jin, if that was the case the doctors or even the rune sages would have diagnosed me with it," Touya pointed out as they made their way into the towering forest, which blanketed the dirt road their feet soon graced.

"I swear you can't find happiness under any rock, can you?" Jin asked with a brief laugh, releasing Touya's hand to place his arm over his friend's shoulder.

"It depends on what rock I am looking under," Touya said in return with a slight smirk. His stomach still feeling unsettled, he placed his hand upon it as he stopped walking for a moment. "I guess my body isn't too happy with me today. My stomach feels rotten."

Jin watched as Touya nearly fell forward, his arm coming around quickly to support his chest before Touya could. "That's it; I am calling you some assistance." Whistling loudly, the sound carried for miles. The reverberation itself startled the birds nestling contently within the trees and some of the creatures hiding nearby in the bushes. He was hoping the sound would carry on the winds to the one creature he wanted to hear it.

The currents blew tenderly about the forest, the trees bending to its touch as an ear piercing screech could be heard from far away. The call becoming louder with every passing moment was accompanied by the sound of the wind being cut by the mere flapping of a large bird's feathers. Jin and Touya both shielded their eyes as the giant beast made its way down to the woodlands below. His powerful wings of pure white, dipped in the lightest hue of blue, raised above his back, standing several inches tall. His beak parted to emit another powerful kree; the large sapphire colored eyes glimpsed about the area carefully since he was often hunted in Zexen land.

"Hey there, Wind Song," the wind user said aloud, walking over to the large white griffon to hug it around his thick, feathery neckline.

The powerful griffon shook his body from side to side to rid himself of pesky bugs, which were nipping at his pelt. He had been a friend to Jin ever since the wind rune user found the egg on the side of the road, abandoned by the mother. Jin took in the egg and helped it hatch. Wind Song was raised into full adulthood before being released in fear of being killed by the knights.

Jin waved Touya over to the white griffon. Taking his partner's hand, he helped Touya on the back of the large mythical creature. "I will see you back at the inn, Touya. Wind Song will get you there safely." Jin smiled as he patted the griffon. "Alright, buddy, take care of him for me." Blowing a big kiss into the griffon's silky, white feathers, he padded Wind Song's rear tenderly to get him going.

"Jin, I am not so sure about **_THIS_**!" Touya yelled as the creature took off into the skies quickly. His hands grabbing tightly onto the griffon's feathers, which blew about in his face, Touya buried his face within the bird half of the Grassland animal. He wasn't too used to flying, even if Jin took him on occasion when he was well. Looking down at the trees that got smaller the higher than griffon flew, Touya managed to wave goodbye to his partner though he wished not to return back to the inn once more.

The redhead below waved in return, shielding his eyes from the bright rays of the morning sun with his hand cupped above his brows. "I'll see you back at Vinay Del Zexay, love. Take care of yourself until then." Turning on his heels, Jin quickly jogged back into the Brass Castle so he could wait for Touya's weapon to be completed.

--

Seeing the wooden, interior walls of the inn room yet again, Touya sighed in dissatisfaction. He sat upon the covers of his bed he hadn't made up to gaze up at the ceiling above. As he shifted over to his back, he felt something against the fabric of his shirt, embedding slightly within his skin. Pulling himself off of the messy covers, he looked under his slightly raised arm to see the book that Jin had given to him. He seized the book to bring it closer to him to investigate the worn title.

"The Grassland Clans," Touya read aloud to himself, shifting on the bed so that his head could be cushioned by the pillow at the head of his bed. "I never did read in depth about them." Opening to the first page, his eyes began wandering back and forth across the ink, which had been slightly worn off during the years. "I can see why now she would have to hide such a book in Zexen territory."

Jin made his way to the Vinay Del Zexay market place in a brisk jog with the sword his partner wanted to have a rune affixed within the metal. He headed close to the docks where the building resided, turning the corner on the left to make it to the inn's entrance. "Touya better appreciate this," Jin mumbled as he struggled with the inn's door. "Carrying this weapon around is a pain in my rear!" He still fumbling with the door for a moment, Jin's ears caught the low kueeing sound of a griffon. Raising his brows at the sound, he looked up at the top of the inn to spy the white griffon he had fathered for years.

The eagle talons gripped tightly onto the edge of the roof of the inn as he threw his back with a subtle kree to those who would listen. His noble, angelic eyes spying Jin down at the door of the inn, Wind Song whistled to him like a regular song bird. Flaring out his feathers, he flapped his wings to help him flutter down to the ground below.

"Wind Song, what are you doing here!" Jin demanded to know in a high whisper. Running his fingers through the griffon's feathers and fur line gently, he saw some people nearby a bit frightened by the size of the intimidating animal of the wild. "Come on, buddy, you have to get out of here! Shoo—go on now!"

The griffon erected his feathered ears at Jin's actions as the man waved his hands at Wind Song to try and make him leave. Jumping back on his paws and talons at the movements, he playfully snapped at Jin's hands as he used to do when he was merely a kitten. Lowering his head, he raised his right talon above it as if to be playful with his master.

"Wind Song, shoo! Go home!" Jin asked of the griffon once more in a hushed whisper, continuing to wave his hands. When the griffon still refused to leave and go back into the woods where he belonged, Jin walked over to the large beast to move his palm along his white feathered, neck and face. "Buddy, you've got to get out of here! You are creating a scene!"

The round, sapphire gleaming eyes stared at Jin, reflecting the man's body within them as Wind Song took in every word. Looking left and then right, the griffon lowered down to the ground to get enough energy to push off of the stone road he stood upon, flapping his wings to take to the skies once more.

Jin shielded his eyes from the loose partials, which flew at his face thanks to Wind Song's powerful wings creating the strong gusts of wind. He watched as the citizens nearby whispered to one another at what they had just seen. His pointed ears catching a few of the words spared within the small crowd made him slightly nervous as he made it to the inn's door to invite himself inside. Closing the door behind him quickly, Jin leaned upon it momentarily with a sigh of worry. "Spotted with one creature outside of Zexen's walls and people just have to start yammering about it," he grumbled, parting for the staircase.

Touya continued reading his book under the covers of his bed when Jin finally made his way into the bedroom. Seeing the worry in his expression, he asked, "What is the matter, Jin?"

"Why didn't you order Wind Song home?" Jin inquired, closing the door and locking it as well. "He was on top of the inn building, waiting for me to come to the door and people saw him!"

Releasing a brief laugh behind his closed lips, Touya turned his focus back on the book with a shrug. "And that is a—bad thing?" He wondered. "It is not like Zexen people go around these days pushing out people who have connections with strong, wild creatures. They are all talk and no action."

Jin scratched his head as he sat down at the small round table near one of the two windows in their small inn room. "Some thought I was a Grassie!"

"Jin, please," Touya began as he closed his book after marking his spot, "people here think you're an elf with your ears being the way they are. I doubt you have to worry much about them fearing you are now in league with the Grasslanders." Putting his book down on the nightstand, he got to his feet to join Jin at the table. "Besides, I told Wind Song to go home. He didn't listen to me."

"And I have told them several times I am not," Jin grumbled, supporting his cheek with his palm. The young man was known to have his ears point whenever he was happy or excited, but most times he was spotted, he was seen with them pointed. Accusations were made that he was of an elf tribe, and it made him irritated.

"Just be relieved they don't know your true origin," Touya said with a shrug, turning to look out the slightly cracked window. The feel of the chilly air made him feel a bit at peace. Not to mention he felt a lot warmer than before.

Jin removed himself from the chair he was sitting within with a slight grunt, making his way over to the side of the open window Touya was gazing out at. His finger tapping upon the windowsill, he hummed in thought at his true origin. Jin looked over at his partner, his other hand hidden within his pocket as he rested one of his feet against the wall. "Do you ever regret it?"

Plucking an apple out of the basket in the center of the wooden tabletop, Touya took a bite to sate his grumbling stomach. "Regret what?" He asked Jin, his mouth slightly full.

"Do you regret ever falling for me?" Jin clarified. His hands moving about his pants a moment, he appeared to be searching for something. Pulling out an empty, small leather pouch, he hissed slightly to himself. "Dammit, I guess I am out."

Touya shook his bi-colored hair, running his fingers through it to keep it out of his face. "No, I don't regret it. I know our love is considered a double sin, but remember what I told you—I would go anywhere with you, including Hell." Hopping up out of the chair for a moment, Touya went over to the nightstand to pick back up his book so he could read it at the table since his nauseous feeling had disappeared for the time being. "And by the way, you're not smoking anymore." Touya was aware whenever Jin pulled out the leather pouch he carried, he was looking for his cigarette he normally made for himself. The smoke always irritated him while Jin was used to many different scents the wind carried. "So where is my sword?"

"Oh!" Jin exclaimed, removing the strap of the sheath he had resting from his right side to his top left shoulder. Removing the sheath from behind his back, Jin handed the sword over to its rightful owner. "Hopefully now it won't fall out."

Touya took back his sword. He removed the blade from the decorative sheath it was within to gaze at the circular water rune, which had been implanted firmly within the beginning of the blade, where it met with the hilt. "Hmmm," he hummed in thought, placing the blade back into the sheath, "I guess I will find out whenever I can manage to go out and fight again."

"I am sure you will be able to in due time." Jin glanced at the position of the sun before sighing through his nostrils at the time of day it was. "Well, bud, I should head to the Iksay Village. I have somebody there who has a job for me." Grabbing up his double daggers as well as his own sword, he placed them upon his bed so he could hunt for his uniform. Opening the doors of the closet, Jin pulled out his clothes so he could fold them up on the bed to take with him. "I hope you will be alright. If you're not, you will send word, won't you?"

"I will be fine. If I get nauseated, at least there is a bed I can lie down upon," Touya said to the worrying Jin. "I can also ring for Simon to go get one of the knights to haul you back here."

"Why don't you just make things easier on yourself and whistle for Wind Song?" Jin asked with a brief chuckle as he gathered back up his weapons and attire he would wear at night. "I am sure he will come fetch me if there is ever anything wrong."

Touya put on a smile with a nod to Jin as he watched him head for the door. "I promise I will be fine. I will send Wind Song if I have any big problems." He opened his book back to where he left off seeing as he would be along for the coming hours. "Be careful yourself, Jin."

"You know me," Jin responded with a brief wave, departing from the inn once more.

Hearing the door shut made Touya sigh a bit in loneliness. The feeling always seemed to overwhelm him when Jin left to take on a job. Leaving his book open, he walked over to the open window to watch as Jin left the inn to head out to Vinay Del Zexay's front gates so he could go to Iksay Village. Leaning against the windowsill, Touya gazed up at the setting sun with a sorrowful sigh. "I hate the dark. It always leaves me with nobody…"

Running his fingers through his hair, Touya walked back to the book he had lain out on the wooden tabletop. Sitting back down at his seat, he turned to the only object that kept him company throughout the lonely nights ahead.

Jin took to the skies when he was out of sight of the Zexen citizens. He hated the thought of leaving behind Touya when he was so sick, but he had to make money for the inn he had rented out for his partner. He watched from the skies as the sun hid quietly behind the mountains overhead. Diving down thanks to the wind he could control, Jin made it to an area within the Zexen Forest. It was a space where the trees covered the waterfall and miniature lake with their thick trunks and many leaves, which sprouted from the branches.

He removed his weapons once more so he could change in the privacy of the woods. Removing his vest and shirt from his muscular body, he tossed them on the ground before removing his boots and pants. Picking up the black clothing he brought with him, he put the shirt on first, which met with his upper thighs and had no sleeves. Taking his black, baggy pants next, he slipped them on before taking his black sash to wrap about his waist to keep his shirt tucked in and his pants up. Jin pulled the extra piece of fabric on his shirt up over the lower part of his face so it would go over the slope of his nose and outline his baby blue eyes. Fixing his bracers on his arms tightly and tabi boots on his legs next, Jin fixed his weapons into place for the final time on his body.

"I sure hope this night goes by a bit faster than the others. I cannot afford to stay out too long," he murmured behind the cloth to himself, running incredibly fast to the next village.

Iksay was a small village just northeast of Vinay Del Zexay. It was well known for its windmills and wheat fields, which glowed brilliantly in the setting sun. One of the men of the village remained away from the town near the main large, powerful windmill behind the fence, which kept the fields protected from villagers wandering beyond into the wheat meadow.

He appeared nervous as he waited there near the working windmill. The man with a thick, brown beard covered up his shivering body as he remained within the slightly chilly night. Putting his hat on next to cover his messy hair, he looked about anxiously as he was put on edge at the sound of wolves howling at the full moon. "Where is that man?" He murmured to himself.

"I am right here," Jin answered, his back resting against the bricks of the windmill. "So, let's cut to the chase. What do you want from me?"

Digging into his pockets quickly, his breath labored and his heartbeat quickened, the man handed over a piece of paper he had folded up within his pocket. The very presence of Jin made him feel a sort of fear he had never felt before. Even if Jin's eyes conveyed innocents, they also conveyed a startling null emotion towards the thought of death. "There is a treasure deep within the mountain path just a ways south of here rumored to be buried there but guarded by some beast."

Jin took the piece of paper to unfold it to take in the map that the man had obviously purchased. He only looked at it for a moment before pocketing seeing as he knew the area in Zexen well enough. "And you want me to get this for you?"

"If you can manage to destroy the monster and get the treasure to me, I split half of it with you evenly for your payment," the man said eagerly, his tone seemed to be filled with greed.

Jin wasn't sure about taking on this job. It wasn't like the others he had normally taken for the Zexen Council, and the man seemed much too eager for this reward he was to fetch. "Fine," he sighed with a shrug. "I will get it for you, but since I am doing this, I get to decide what I want from the treasure, if there is such a thing."

The man didn't have time to agree or disagree as Jin quickly sped back off down the dirt road without another word. Under the fabric, which covered his mouth, he sighed yet again with a shake of his head as the world passed him by in a blur with the speed he was running at. "I have become a mere lapdog now," he muttered. "Not much has changed recently." Gazing up at the stars with a shake of his head, Jin reminded himself that he was gathering the money for Touya, and it wasn't blood money unlike the other darker years he was with his clan.

--

Touya closed the book he had within his possession later within the night. With a stretch and a slight yawn, he walked over back to the window to watch the stars try to outshine the others surrounding them. He admired the beauty for awhile with his arms resting upon the woodwork of the windowsill until the sound of a griffon caught his attention instead. His heart beating rapidly in worry, Touya leaned out the window to gaze down at the streets below.

The sight of a large griffon with white feathers and fur made Touya whistle briefly to catch the creature's attention. "Wind Song," he called in a whisper. "Wind Song, be quiet! You'll wake everybody up!"

Wind Song erected his feathery ears at the sound of Touya's voice. His noble eyes of sapphire reflected off of the full moon as he glimpsed upward at the young male of the winter. Gathering up his strength, his large wings of white, dipped in a soft blue flapped harshly against the air as he guided himself upward towards the opened window where he could see Touya.

Touya quickly jumped back to get out of the way of the large griffon, who wished to get into the inn room he was not allowed within. When the griffon came into view, Touya waved his hands at the majestic beast to try and make him leave. "Wind Song, you don't belong here! Shoo, shoo, get out of here!"

The griffon didn't care to listen. Releasing a soft kree, he forced himself through the window to the best of his ability. His large lion farm got caught as he tried to fit himself through the medium sized window space. His talons scratching at the wooden walls beneath him, he squawked a few more times as his instincts of fear erupted when he felt cornered and trapped.

"Shhh, shhh!" Touya demanded quietly, grabbing onto the griffon's talons to pull on it gently to try and help the trapped griffon through to the other side. "Come on, buddy, just help me out here!"

Wind Song slowly inched through the small space he was given, eventually getting on the other side. Shaking his body to fluff back out his feathers and fur once he was in the inn room, he looked about the human building with interest. Sniffing the air and the ground like a hound dog, he wandered over to Jin's bed to pick up his scent there before making it to the closed door. Whimpering in the back of his throat, he released a few barks as he scratched at the mahogany door.

Touya couldn't help but feel for the griffon as he headed over to him to pull him away from the door. "I know, I know, you miss Jin. Come on, you can lie on his bed to keep you calm." Touya helped Wind Song over to the bed Jin often used, putting him on the covers, which smelt entirely of the redhead. "That should relax you."

Wind Song buried his beak into the covers, his wings folded next to his sides with his paws and talons tucked under his body. Warbling softly in his throat, he looked at the door waiting for it to open once more.

"I know," Touya began, joining the griffon so he could scritch him behind the ear, "you miss, Jin, don't you?" When he heard the griffon warble once more, he sighed through his nostrils as he wrapped his arms about Wind Song's large, feathery neck. "I do too…"

Remaining within the comfortable feathers of the large bird creature, Touya closed his eyes for a moment to try and help himself to sleep though it was hard for him to without feeling so alone.

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**_Ending Notes_**: Just minor notes on a few things people might get confused over. Sorry if I insult your intelligence, but you can never be too safe: **1)** Griffons, as little babies, are called kittens. They are also known to bark for their parents. **2)** Grassie is a remark from Zexen citizens—a vulgar type remark towards Grasslanders. **3)** Scritches are small, nail type scratches that birds and bird creatures enjoy. It actually puts them to sleep at times.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Notes_**: Sorry, sorry—as I announced in the other story of mine, I have been drooling over Twilight Princess and zombified for quite awhile trying to defeat it. It was a success! I also have a new, mini-fandom—**_Link x Midna_**! X33 I also have a job interview or what not tomorrow, so I will be a working girl with a slight income.

As for the crossover scenery and or any other story I do that involves a background I made up or enjoy—I have to say the reason I write that way is because I am tired of writing the characters strictly in Makai or Japan—how boring is that to read everywhere? Just thought I would announce why I do so. XP On with the show!

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The rain was coming down hard later on in the night. Its melody was heard throughout the forest Jin traveled through about Zexen, making his way to the northern cavern he was directed to via his temporary client. The cold of the rain touching his skin, which could hardly be seen through his dark attire and armor, wasn't bothered by the chill of the night air and rainwater. "I sure hope this treasure is in here," Jin murmured to himself as he headed towards the entrance of the cave cautiously.

The cave smelt of rotten blood, both human and demon alike. It made Jin sneeze and cover his delicate nose, hidden behind his black attire, with a shake of his head. Regardless of the horrible smell, he pushed his way onward through the dark tunnels he was within. He coming upon the smell of fire burning within the nook to his right, Jin stopped in his steps to look to a dimly lit torch, which was obviously there to light the way.

"This should help," he said as he grabbed a torch within the skeletal remains of a solider long past. Lighting it with the aid of the existing torch next to the body, he headed onwards down the path with the raging torch lighting his path. "I will get through with this and get back to Touya in no time."

--

The rain tapping its melody upon the closed inn windows back at Vinay Del Zexay woke Touya steadily from his slumber. He wearily pushed himself up from the covers, which were wrapped about his form to peek over his shoulder at the storm he could sense was underway. Slowly he got to his feet, wrapping himself up in the comforter as he tiptoed over towards the windows.

He watched the rain fall from the thundering sky in silence, not wishing to wake Wind Song. "I guess Jin won't be back tonight," he hummed in dismay.

Turning on his heels, Touya rubbed his eyes and made it over to his bed once more with a subtle sigh. He felt awakened by worry and couldn't find the want to go back to sleep. Looking over at the nightstand, Touya caught sight of the book Jin got for him to read. His fingers grabbing onto the binding of the book, he opened it back to the page he left off on quietly.

Narrow eyes, shifting across the pages written in a fancy style, Touya brought the covers back over his fragile form with his back against the wooden frame of the bed headrest. His sight used to the darkness, he felt no pain in the lack of light within the inn room. Touya enlightened himself on the Grassland Clans he was already aware of, reading deeper into their beliefs, culture, and whatever else was spared within the detailed chapters until a loud thunder roll caught him off guard as well as Wind Song.

Flinching from the loud rumbling beyond the closed windows, Touya got up to hurry over to the windows so that he could move the curtains over the horrible sounds emitting from beyond the rattling glass. As soon as he made it to the panes, however, the force of the wind and rain opened them with such power that part of the glass cracked, and a shard scraped across Touya's pallid skin to cut just below his right eye.

Hissing from the slight pain, he grabbed back onto the shaking windows to relock them once again, eyeing at the cracks within the glass reminding him of a spider's web with how they formed on the once perfect surface. His finger touching the center gently, he drew back his finger to make a slight fist. "I guess I might as well fix this."

Placing his palm upon the glass, Touya managed to use the rune of water to fit into the cracks before freezing them into place. He felt that would hold the glass for the moment, untying the sashes around the curtains to let them cover up the storm outside.

Wind Song watched attentively with his feathered ears erected, catching any sounds that his acute hearing could. He made a low murring sound in the depths of his throat in thought as he watched Touya saunter across the room.

Touya caught the low sound from the griffon. He turned his head slightly to gaze at the bird creature with a shrug at his actions. "What is the matter? I am just fine." His thumb caressing the bleeding cut on his face, Touya grabbed a towel to dab the wound with a soft, hissing flinch. "They need stronger glass for those windows. This inn is in pitiful shape."

The howling wind banging against the windows made Touya think of Jin. He sighed in dismay, feeling a pang of loneliness from Jin not being with him at the moment. There was a time Jin used to be with him even during the night hours until money became tight. Touya looked over at the book he had upon his bedcovers, finding it to be slightly damp and blown past several pages he had yet to read.

Picking up the book, withered in age, he shook it gently to get the water droplets off. He looked at the page the book was forced upon via the wind and saw a Grassland village he never heard of before—Alma Kinan. Furrowing his brow in confusion, he turned a few pages back to try and hunt for the first chapter following such a Grassland Clan. "Alma Kinan—I have never heard of them."

Touya placed the book upon the nightstand, digging into the nightstand for a few remaining candles and matches. Placing a few on the nightstand, he lit them carefully near the giant, feathered beast in hopes the small flames wouldn't spook Wind Song. Being a creature of the wild, Touya knew that if griffons smelt fire or smoke, they would panic and attempt to flee. It wasn't a ruckus the water rune user wanted to have be unleashed.

Wind Song flattened his ears gradually at the horrible scent, which usually meant danger. His talons flexing upon the covers, he tossed his feathery head about with an irritable grunt.

"If you don't like the smell of these candles, you can fly back outside," Touya said bluntly, lighting the last candle. Shaking the match in his hand, he got the fire to burn out as he sat down to read what was within the chapter, which was new to him.

The griffon was aware that the weather outside was not for flying. He looked over at the curtains, which were blowing about from the harsh wind conditions, with a shake of his head. Lowering it back down before his front talons, he lidded his eyes with a subtle purr like a kitten, though still slightly leery of the lit candles.

Touya used the candles to help dry the dampened area, which was touched by the icy rain. Within the candlelight, he read the pages he allowed to dry attentively throughout the night.

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The candles had died throughout the night hours with Touya asleep on his bedcovers with his book opened upon his chest. When the light from the sun graced his closed eyes, he moaned slightly. Moving his hand over his eyelids, Touya tried to look beyond his fingers in attempts to see what was going on. Seeing the outline of the wild redhead brought a bit of ease to him as he relaxed there upon the bedcovers.

"Jin…where were you last night?" Touya asked wearily.

"I told you I had to work," Jin chuckled as he opened the windows slightly. "I was out all night getting some money to help keep us here." He walked over towards the bed where Touya was resting to sit upon the side to look down at his partner. "I see you fell asleep while reading, and what is that on your face?"

Touya felt Jin touch the cut on his face, merely smiling to him. "It is nothing. The wind just got a bit too wild, and the glass broke on one of the windows. I am lucky it wasn't my eye it took."

"That's for sure. That cut was quite close, I'll say," Jin said, heading for the door. "Wind Song was shooed out, so don't worry about him. I will go down and get us something to eat for breakfast before I sleep." Twisting the doorknob, Jin allowed himself outside with a yawn.

Gazing down at the book, which was on his lap now, Touya picked it up to remind himself of the information he had gathered before falling asleep. "Alma Kinan, A hidden clan, even among the Grassland Clans—that is quite odd."

Jin made his way down towards the bar area of the inn with a stretch to try and pop his overworked bones. The inn was just waking up as well. The owner of the bar caught sight of the redhead coming down the steps as Simon made his way behind the bar.

"You look quite rundown today, Jin," Simon said, leaning forward to rest his arms upon the countertop.

"I had quite a night," Jin responded, taking one of the many empty chairs before the bar. "The pay for the room I am trying to keep Touya in plus the constant look for a good doctor is getting ridiculously expensive."

"Sorry about the ups in payment for the room, Jin," Simon apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "With the Zexen Council wanting to up the taxes for the sake of their knights due to the grudge between the Grasslanders, it has been difficult on everyone."

"I know it isn't your fault, Simon." Jin sighed, gazing up at the top floor where the door to their room resided. "I really don't want to take Touya somewhere else, but with how weary he is getting as of late, I might have to."

Simon's eyes shifted slightly, making sure that nobody else was within the bar just yet that he felt might get offended at what he had to say. "Honestly, Jin, if you want to find a good doctor, I would try heading to one of the Grassland Clans. From what I heard, they have some of the best doctors around compared to those here."

"How?" Jin asked with a look of uncertainty. "They live in the wild, for goodness sake, and hardly have any education at all."

"You said your friend, Touya, came from the wild, and he appears educated to me," Simon pointed out with a slight shrug. "Don't tell me you are one of those Grassland haters who think they are all barbarians."

Jin shook his head with a simple wave of his hand. "Everyone has their opinions, and I have to say that I am not open about mine. Touya reads about the clans a lot, and he appears to be quite into them, so I try to watch out." His deep blue eyes skimmed about the dining area as well. Resting his cheek upon his knuckles, he continued. "I don't think they are barbarians, but I am still at odd-ends when it comes to the war I have heard about from Zexen word of mouth."

"It is best not to form your opinions based on others, Jin," Simon advised. "It is best to make your own from fact rather than opinion. Why not try reading those books Touya reads?"

Jin jerked his head back when Simon suggested such a thing. Blinking a few times as if trying to regain his train of thought, he shook his head at the idea. "Uh—no—reading is not my thing."

Simon could hear a bit of nervousness in the man's tone. Humming in thought he said, "I see. You cannot read, can you?"

"Shush!" Jin ordered with his finger pressed to his lips. "From where I came from…they didn't really relay upon reading much."

"So how exactly do you get by?" Simon wondered.

"I ask Touya to read it for me when he can, and there are some words I know—I just don't know many of them as he does," the wind rune user explained.

"Does Touya know?"

"No, Touya doesn't know."

"How can he not?" Simon wondered aloud, tapping his finger upon the bar top. "You would think it would be obvious at one point."

"He just doesn't," Jin grumbled, not wishing to continue talking about his literary weakness. "Can I ask for my order now? I am really hungry and tired."

"And apparently cranky," Simon snickered as he disappeared briefly behind the bar. "Alright, alright, I will get your order for you so that you can sleep." Grabbing up the glasses he would need and the plates, he waved for his wife, who worked the floor, to come over and help him for the moment.

The wind a lot more subtle than it was during the nightly storm blew contently through the slightly opened windows to caress Touya's hair. He continued to read through the pages there before him, locked into what he was managing to learn from the hidden clan that nobody apparently knew about but the author of the book he held. However, due to the clan being in seclusion, and the citizens hardly ever seen even by the other Grassland Clans, there were only ten or so pages on the clan.

"Well, that isn't right," Touya said as he flipped through a few of the pages ahead to make sure there wasn't something he would miss on Alma Kinan. "Oh, come on, if someone managed to find this much on it, they should at least know a bit more about it."

The door opened and Jin stepped into the room with the tray of food he had in his hands. "What are you whining about now?" The redhead pried jokingly, closing the door behind him with his foot. He walked cautiously over towards the nightstand to place the tray down in between the burnt out candles, which circled about the wooden frame.

"This book has hundreds of pages on the Chisha Clan, Duck Clan, Lizard Clan, and even Karaya Clan, but the Alma Kinan Clan only had ten pages on it," Touya explained, closing his book so that he could accept the milk.

"I can't say that I have heard of that Grassland Clan myself." Jin sat down upon his bed with a yawn, grabbing up his own drink. "Is that a new clan?"

"No, it is a hidden Grassland Clan of some kind," Touya replied, scratching his head with his thumbnail. Closing his book, he picked up a piece of paper to write the name upon.

"Enough about that book already and eat," Jin encouraged as he pointed to the vegetarian plate he had Simon make for his partner. "So after I catch up on my sleeping, I plan on searching for another doctor for you."

"Jin, you're being ridiculous," Touya muttered under the food within his mouth. "I don't need another doctor to diagnose me. I have been probed, pinched, and poked more times than I can count." He seems a bit unenthusiastic as he messed with the grits on his plate. Sighing through his nostrils, he looked off to the side at his book once more, wanting to pick it up once more.

"Touya, we have to find out what ails you. It doesn't appear to be going away," Jin pointed out as he brought his feet in to sit Indian style upon the covers.

The bi-colored hair man tapped the spoon in his hand against the bowl in thought. "I am thinking of going back to Brass Castle to look up another book by this author, seeing as she knows a bit about the Alma Kinan Clan," he said, changing the subject for the moment.

A chuckle surfaced from Jin's throat as he ate his eggs he was poking at. "Why are you so interested in it all of a sudden?"

"Because I know about everything else in this world, just about, except this clan," Touya pointed out. "I am just curious about it." Placing the bowel he had in his hands back down on the tray on the nightstand, he got to his feet to walk over towards the windows. "Besides, with me being confined within this place, I want to get to know the world I am not allowed to see anymore. It was bad enough I was trapped in the icy mountains in solitude, trained only to kill or be killed, but now I have to stay here in a small inn room with hardly any company." He pressed his hands upon the lower part of the windowsill before him, lowering his head slightly with a moan of displeasure at the thought.

Jin felt for his partner, but he feared letting him go outside alone with his body always acting weird at odd moments. Throwing back the last bit of the juice he had in his possession, he hopped up off of the bed to head over to the window where Touya was standing. He placed his hand upon Touya's shoulder to hold him closer. "I am sorry for how things have been going lately," Jin whispered into his partner's ear. "I just cannot afford to have you go out there and get weaker."

He listened to the words that Jin spared him, but Touya didn't appear to flinch. He kept his sight focused on the goings on outside in Vinay Del Zexay.

"I hope you understand." Sparing a kiss to the one he loved, Jin turned back towards his bed with a weary scratch to his messy hair. "I am going to go to bed now. I can't stay awake another minute." Jin sat back down upon his bed, kicking off his shoes and removing a few articles of clothing he had on that he felt would bother him as he slept. The covers being pushed out of the way, he situated himself underneath him while cupping his pillow close to his face. "Goodnight, Touya."

"More like good morning," he whispered back with a slight smirk. Touya headed over towards Jin's bedside, to move the covers over his wild, redheaded mate before giving him a kiss as well tenderly upon Jin's cheek. "Goodnight—sleep well."

--

Touya listened to Jin's slight snoring throughout the coming hours as he sat at the table, continuing to read his book. He ran his fingers through his hair in slight annoyance, seeing as Jin's snoring always was distracting. Closing the book silently, he picked up the slip of paper he wrote upon with a quill pen with the name 'Alma Kinan' on it. The clan was still ringing in his mind, and he wanted to go and find out more about it. Hearing a slight hitch in Jin's snoring, Touya looked over at the slumbering redhead wondering if he was awake yet.

"Jin, are you awake?" He asked quietly, not wishing to wake him if he was.

Jin didn't respond. He remained asleep and continued his snoring.

Getting up slowly from where he was sitting, Touya held his book to his side as well as his small note he had jotted down. Tiptoeing cautiously, he made his way over to Jin's bedside where he bent down to kiss the slumbering redhead on the forehead. "I will be back later. I promise."

Touya grabbed up his weapon, knowing he would need it if he was to travel out into the wild alone. He made it to the door and quietly and slowly opened it to allow himself outside, so he could head to Brass Castle's library.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun appeared a bit brighter than usual when Touya stepped out of the inn in Vinay Del Zexay. Shielding his eyes with his hand resting above his brows, he slung the strap of his weapon over his right shoulder to keep the sword resting on his back as he headed off quickly for the exit of the Zexen city. Grabbing onto the fabric, which gathered about his neck, Touya brought it up over the slope of his nose to help keep anything else from entering inside of his delicate system. 

He pushed his way through the crowd that day, finally finding his way to the cobblestone arch, guarded by two Zexen Knights on either side of it. The book he had in his possession resting against his chest, he headed through the vaulted entrance and exit of the city to make it to towards the Zexen Forest up ahead. The air was much colder than usual to him as he made it to the mouth of the woodland.

"This makes me wish I had paid for a horse to carry me," Touya murmured under the cloth, which concealed his mouth. Stopping in his tracks, he gazed up at the forest canopy, which was alive with the song of the birds, remembering Wind Song, Jin's griffon. Removing the black cloth from his mouth, he whistled loudly as Touya tried to call to the white griffon.

The sound of the beast's wings could be heard flapping against the wind currents he traveled on. His feathery ears twitching at the wind, which caressed his pure, white feathers, Wind Song made it through the canopy and down to where Touya was waiting for him. His talons gracing the earth below him, he tossed his feathery head back slightly with a shake of his lion half as if to be rid of any annoying mites that might be biting into his body.

Touya rubbed the thick, feathery neck of the wild griffon to welcome him. "Alright, Wind Song, I've got to get to Brass Castle, and you're taking me," he grunted as he hefted himself on top of the large creature.

Wind Song didn't say a thing as he allowed the man on top of him. His tail of pure white flapping back and forth, he turned on his talons and lion padded paws to head down the dirt road, which stretched from Zexen's Forest to a fork in the road, where Brass Castle was located. He started off in a slow trot before feeling Touya's heels grace his ribs. Taking off into a gallop, Wind Song tore down the dirt road to make it to the bridge of Brass Castle.

Touya held on the griffon's wild, messy feathers tightly as Wind Song quickly galloped towards the castle. The bridge of the fortress soon within view, Touya patted the griffon's neck with an added 'whoa' to make the griffon come to a halt. "This is as far as you go," Touya reminded the griffon as he dismounted him. He placed his hand on the beast's beak gently. "We don't want the knights to spear and skin you. Jin would kill me for that. Just wait here."

Wind Song was aware he wasn't allowed in such places, but he risked being there seeing as Jin used to carry him around when he was only a kitten. But he knew being older, it made things a lot more difficult. Scratching his right ear with his hind paw, he sat upon his haunches to show he would be obedient _this_ time.

Touya turned away from the griffon, hurrying quickly down the cobblestone, bridge to make it to the archway, which led to the small town of Brass Castle. The town behind the stone walls was slightly crowded, making it a bit difficult for Touya to make his way up to the book store he often bought or borrowed from. Pushing his way to the library's door, he was slightly relieved to be within the building, as the outside air appeared to really be getting to him.

The closing of the door caught the librarian's attention as she pulled herself up from behind the counter to see who it was. She fixed her glasses, which were sliding a bit down the slope of her nose, before offering a smile to the customer she knew all too well. "Hello, Touya, it is good to see you again," she said kindly, bending back under the counter to put a few things away.

"It is good to see you too, Sharon," Touya said almost in a whisper, prying himself away from the mahogany door he was leaning slightly upon for support. His palms gracing the wooden countertop next, he smiled at the young woman for a moment before pulling out the book Jin had gotten for him. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the author of this book you gave to Jin."

Sharon blinked her gray-blue eyes, taking the old book that she recalled handing to the fiery redhead. "Oh—this book's author is actually…um…" She hesitated. Tapping her fingers upon the worn book's cover, she looked about the store before allowing him behind the counter. "Come with me in the back," Sharon insisted, pointing to the entranceway, which was behind her.

The water rune user didn't hesitate to do so as he crept behind the front desk and to the door, which led to the backroom. Touya had never been back there before and was surprised to see that it looked almost like a combination of a storage room and a bedroom. "What is this area for? Storing inventory or for you to sleep?"

"Both," Sharon answered as she made it over to her bed, lying against the lower left-hand corner. Sitting upon the messy bedcovers, she hummed in thought, moving her glasses once more. "This book was written by one of the elders in the Grasslands," she finally answered. "I kept it hidden because if any of the knights knew that a Grassland import was in my grasp, I would be executed. Why do you ask?"

"I have read everything I have on the Grassland Clans from Zexen authors, but there was never a single thing mentioned on a clan called the Alma Kinan," Touya responded, shrugging slightly. "That elder spoke of the clan, and I have never heard of it before."

"The Alma Kinan?" Sharon wondered aloud, opening the book to skim through the pages. Falling upon the right pages, she looked at the just of the clan Touya was speaking of with a slight 'ah'. "The Alma Kinan is known as a mystery clan, even to the Clans of Grassland. It is amazing that anyone would know a thing about them."

"You appear to know something," Touya pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest with a tilt of his head.

Sharon removed her glasses for a moment, resting her chin upon the back of her hand with a slight sigh. "Well, I know about as much as you learned from this book," she admitted. "I read it a few times myself, but I didn't expect you to be so captivated by the unknown." Standing to her feet once more, she kept the book close to her chest as she eyed the man before her. "However, if you're that interested in the Alma Kinan, I am sure I can try and track down the elder in Chisha, who wrote this."

"Would they allow that with you being a Zexen citizen and all?" Touya asked, raising his brow at the young librarian.

She gave the book back to Touya with a brief smile to him as she headed for the shelves lined with literature she had just recently gotten in. "It is knights and arrogant citizens they mostly cast out of their territories, and I don't plan on starting anything with them. They are fierce warriors, and I am just a simple bookworm hoping to for answers." Her finger dancing across the spines of the books she had all lined up alphabetically by title, she eventually paused at one of the older books down the line. "Here we are—." Pulling the book from the shelf, she blew the dust off of it before handing it to Touya. "This one supposedly has bit more information in there, but not as much as I had hoped."

Touya took the book into his possession, seeing that this book was just as old and weathered as the other he was given. "Why are these books so old? Were these documented years ago?"

"Yes, but it is mostly because of me hiding them in the darkest corner of my room," Sharon said simply. "It's as I stated earlier—Grassland literature isn't allowed here, and I would be in big trouble if caught with it."

"I promise I will be careful with them both," Touya assured her as he kept the books close to his chest. Rubbing his forehead slightly to try and be rid of the slight pain gathering there, he offered a smile to Sharon. "Thank you for the new book and the information."

Watching his actions closely, Sharon remembered that he had passed out that day Jin came in hunting for a new book for the man to read. Her finger placed upon her lower lip in thought, she followed him out the back carefully. "Are you sure you can make it back to Jin just fine?" She inquired. "I thought you weren't supposed to be up and about without him."

"I am not," Touya answered simply as he slipped the books into a leather carrying bag Sharon soon produced to him. "But I cannot stay inside forever until the day I die."

Sharon flinched at his tone. He appeared unnerved by the mere thought of death, and it made her blood run cold at his neutral tone. "What about Jin?" She pried. "Don't you think he would hate to have you part now?" She wasn't blind to the relationship between the two, and unlike most of Zexen, she was open towards it.

Paying for the book, Touya sighed slightly. His narrow eyes lidding slightly in thought. "I know he wouldn't feel as void about it as I do. I know I should be taking care of myself for at least his sake, but—."

"Why just **_his_** sake?" Sharon interjected as she accepted his money. "Why don't you do it for your sake as well?"

Touya paused for a moment before turning on his heels to head for the door. Thinking she had offended him, Sharon offered to apologized, but the rune user interrupted her. "Maybe because Jin still carries a torch of hope as he always has with everything. That is the one big difference between us. I know when to give up when he doesn't." Without another word, he headed for the library's door to let himself out, not wishing to discuss it further.

--

Jin remained dead asleep on his bed back at the inn in Vinay Del Zexay. Lying upon his front, he had his chin buried into his pillow with his left hand hanging over the side of his bed. His snoring muffled within the pillow he was lying upon, he was suddenly awoken when the knuckles of his hand finally hit the wooden floor. His head flying upward off of the pillow with a startled snort, Jin blinked his eyes a few times to try and get used to the afternoon sun, which was peeking through the curtains of their window.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked, a yawn accompanying every word he spoke as he eyed the sun's position from where he was resting. Still feeling tired, he collapsed back on the covers to try and regain a bit of strength before pushing himself completely up off the bed to sit on his bent knees. "Why didn't you wake me up after the first few hours, Touya?" Jin wondered as he looked over his partner's empty bed. "Touya…?"

Hopping to his feet, he made his way over to the bed to find his partner was indeed not there. Confused as to why he would just up and leave without a word, Jin hurried down to where Simon was at the bar. His feet stomping heavily against the wooden staircase, he slammed his hands on the bar counter to catch the owner's attention.

"Simon, have you seen Touya around here? He isn't upstairs where I last saw him!" Jin said speedily.

Simon cleaned the cup in his possession before accepting the payment from a nearby customer, who was handling his rent for the night. "No, I haven't, Jin, but you know how busy it often gets up here. For all I know he could have slipped out from under my watch."

"Slipped out!" Jin yelled at first before lowering his voice once everyone stared at him. "Slipped out!" He repeated in a hushed whisper. "How could you just let him do that! You know he is sick!"

"I am sorry, Jin, but I cannot keep tabs on everything else and your friend," Simon stressed with a sympathetic, brief frown.

Jin tapped his fingers upon the bar counter, collecting his thoughts before hurrying upstairs again. Opening up the dresser drawers, he threw some of his clothes about the place to finally retrieve the weapons he was looking for. Pulling out his Celtic sword and body length staff, he hung them from his body quickly with a grunt as he shot to his feet. Grabbing onto the handle of the bedroom door, he headed back down to the dinning area before making it outside of the inn to hunt for Touya.

Still woozy and tired, Touya did manage to make it back to the entrance of the grand capital of Zexen on Wind Song's back. He slid off of the griffon with a brief, tender pat to the creature's head, between the ears. "Thanks for taking me there, Wind Song." He nodded back towards the Zexen Forest with a slight yawn. "Now go slip back into obscurity," Touya joked as he headed for the stone, arched entrance to Zexen.

Wind Song didn't obey this time. He followed behind the man slowly. However, Touya caught the sound of his talons and padded back feet following him against the rocky, dirt ground.

Touya turned around to shake his finger at the griffon. "No, Wind Song, you go back to the woods where you will be safe! I cannot allow you into Vinay Del Zexay, and you know that." Before he could hope to continue to shoo the beast off, Jin came running through the archway just up the dirt road Touya was upon. Hearing someone coming, Touya turned around to look over at the entrance to the Zexen City, praying it wasn't a guard—slightly relieved to see otherwise.

Jin sighed with reprieve as he jogged up to Touya, grabbing onto his wrist like he was a little, lost child. "I want to speak with you." Looking at the griffon, he pointed back at the woodlands. "Go **HOME** Wind Song! You are not allowed here!"

The griffon hissed at Jin's tone with his ears folded back on his head, showing his displeasure in the tenor granted to him. He always heard that tone whenever he had done something wrong and learned to get a bit sassy from it. Shaking his entire body, Wind Song turned around finally and took off for the skies as he was ordered to do.

Touya was pulled towards the stone walls thanks to Jin afterwards. Jerking his hand back from the redhead's grasp, he massaged his slightly hurt wrist. "What is the matter with you? I left you a note on the nightstand at where I would be so you wouldn't worry."

"What note?" Jin asked as he headed back for the city with Touya right behind him. "I didn't see any note on the nightstand."

"Probably because it blew off onto the floor nearby," Touya explained, following Jin into the loud city streets. Keeping up to the wind rune user's side, he sighed a bit with his hands raised close to his shoulders as if he were surrendering under Jin's pointless anger. "Look, nothing happened, okay. You can calm down and relax now. I am in one piece."

"Touya that is not the point," Jin grumbled under his breath. He grabbed back onto Touya's wrist to pull him close to his chest. "You forget that not only are you ill, but we are shunned for one primary reason, and if anybody finds out who and what you are, you will be beheaded."

Touya frowned irritably even if he knew Jin was right. Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued for the inn with Jin.

The front door to the inn opening, Jin and Touya both made their way up to their bedroom; they ignoring the stares some spared considering the incident earlier where Jin nearly threw a fit at the bar. Jogging up the steps, Touya made it to their room first. Allowing himself inside, he hunted on the floor for the note, which Jin had overlooked. Finding it, sure enough, on the floorboards slightly next to his bedside, he picked it up to show off to Jin as soon as he came through the door.

"See there? I left this as soon as I headed for the library!" Touya said, dropping the note in Jin's open hand.

Jin took the note, but he only looked at it briefly before putting it back where it originally was on the nightstand. "I told you earlier, I am more worried over the fact that you are an ice demon from the north."

Touya sighed as he sat down on the side of the bed, folding his arms over his thighs. "Jin, you know unlike the other demons roaming this world, we are different from them. We are more humanlike than they are, so it would take quite some digging to find out who and what we really are."

"Still," Jin huffed, resting the back of his hands upon his hips. "I think it would be best to be careful."

"Since when did you care to be so strictly cautious?" Touya wondered with a slick snicker. "Normally you are the one getting wasted with humans at the bar. Who knows what would slip out of your mouth considering how loose your tongue is then."

"Very funny," Jin grumbled, sitting on his bed, opposite to Touya. "So you went back to the library in Brass Castle? What for?"

Touya grabbed onto the leather bag he had to pull out the new book he had picked up. "Sharon said that the Alma Kinan Clan should be documented in here somewhere as well." He handed the book over to Jin once he got out the other he had been glued to, though had not finished.

Jin took the book to skim through the pages, seeing as he had kept his illiterate secret such to his partner. "I still don't understand why you care so much about the written word, but I guess if I was cooped up, it would be the only thing to keep me occupied." He handed the book back to Touya before getting to his feet to look out the window with a hum.

Putting the book on top of the other, Touya looked over at Jin with a raise of his brow. "If you want to, you can read them too. I know you prefer fighting over reading any day, but it isn't as bad as you make it out to be."

He scratched the back of his head, looking over his shoulder at Touya with a shake of his head. "Nah, I would rather not. Reading isn't my—thing."

"You're right," Touya said with a shrug. "I guess you are more into boozes and fighting."

Jin knew he was just joking, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of hurt from that remark. Rolling his teeth over his lower lip, he managed a smile to his partner as he made his way over towards Touya's bed. Crawling upon the covers, he made his way over towards the ice demon to nibble upon Touya's pallid ear. "There are other things I enjoy too."

Touya felt Jin's warm breath caress the shell of his ear, making his heart nearly leap into his throat. He chuckled softly, pushing Jin away from him tenderly. "Don't make me smack you."

"Oh, you are no fun," Jin pouted, kissing Touya upon his chilly lips before pulling away from his partner. "It looks like it is time for dinner. Do you want something to eat?"

Hearing the disappointment in Jin's voice, Touya reached forward to grab onto Jin's belt buckle to pull him forwards. "You always have to have your way," he whispered to the demon before him. Grabbing onto the rim of Jin's shirt, he pulled it up out of his way to kiss the hard abdomen of the man Touya cared for.

Jin ran his fingers through Touya's bi-colored hair with a slight, sideways smile. "Well, I cannot disagree now, for you are dangerously close to my balls."

Laughing in the back of his throat, Touya leaned his forehead against Jin's abdomen before lightly punching him in the right thigh for his smart remark. "You know I wouldn't do that to you."

Grabbing onto Touya's shoulders, Jin lowered the ice demon to the bedcovers below. His lips touching Touya's, Jin kissed them slowly at first until deepening the kiss by pushing his tongue past his partner's tightly poised mouth. Jin's handles crawling down the shorter demon's body, he trailed down to Touya's belt buckle to fumble with it.

Touya pulled from the kiss feeling Jin having a difficult time with his pants. He couldn't help but laugh softly to himself. "Need help?" He asked as he unfastened the belt buckle himself. "Goodness, it isn't a puzzle, just leather with a few holes and a silver buckle."

Jin glared playfully at his partner when it came to Touya playing the smart-ass for once. "You know I cannot multitask sometimes unless it deals with the battlefield."

"You're a—very simple person, Jin," Touya joked once more, moving his hands to the back of Jin's fiery red hair.

"Funny, funny," Jin said, sticking out his tongue at the demon below him. "You won't be laughing afterwards." ...

--

The two skipped dinner that night as they remained under the bedcovers with one another throughout the hours to come. Jin remained with Touya in his bed though found himself still slightly offend by the comment made earlier that hurt his pride on being silently illiterate. Sitting upright in bed, Jin's muscular body glowed in the rising moonlight outside of the opened window as he reached for the nightstand's drawer to open it. He pulled out the book, which Touya brought home, to open to the first page.

Touya heard the shuffle of the pages as well as felt the slightly movement of the bed. The whites of his eyes replaced with his enchanting, ice-cold colored eyes once he blinked them open, he looked over his shoulder at Jin in wonder at what he was doing. Catching the wind demon eyeing the pages in a confused fashion, he turned around under the covers to watch as Jin was quick to try and put the book back where he found it. "What are you doing, Jin?"

"**Nothing**—nothing, I was doing nothing!" Jin stammered, dropping the book on the floor during his attempt to try and put it back in the drawer.

"A little jumpy, aren't you? You know it is only me here," Touya pointed out as he leaned over Jin to pick up the book from where it fell. The book back in his possession, he made sure nothing was torn from the fall, cocking his brow at Jin. "Are you interested in the book? You can read it if you want when I am not. Just don't miss-mark where I left off," he offered, handing the book back over to Jin.

Jin looked down at the book with a slight falter of his elfin ears. He felt ashamed that he couldn't read at times though he tried to convince himself it was often a waste of time. "I—I am afraid that I cannot."

"Why can't you? I am giving you the book, Jin. I am not being selfish," Touya chuckled slightly in the densely lit room.

Jin sighed. "No, it is not that. The truth is—the reason why I don't bother reading is because…I—can't read," he finally admitted.

The shock rocked through Touya's body, though was able to put two and two together at how distant Jin appeared to the written word. "Oh—heh—Jin, why didn't you tell me anything sooner?" Thinking of the comment he had spared earlier, Touya covered his mouth. "Oh—sorry about what I said. I didn't know you couldn't read."

"It's alright," Jin said with a slight smile in attempts to dismiss it. "I never said a thing about it, because it was slightly embarrassing."

"Jin, you should know that you can tell me anything, and I promise not to laugh or make fun of you." Touya hummed in thought as he looked at the title of the musty, old book in his hands. "If you want, I can read to you in the meantime. It may help with your reading in return."

"I feel like such a little kid," Jin laughed, expressing mixed emotions on the situation.

"You're not the only person out there who cannot read, I am sure," Touya said, nudging his partner with his elbow. "Now, I am going to read, and if you want to listen, you can. I don't have a problem with it."

Jin fidgeted with the covers he held in his hands, listening to Touya as he began reading about the Grassland Clans once more to him. He couldn't deny a ping of interest with every passing word. His deep, blue eyes looking through the slightly darkened room, caressed in moonlight, he showed he was paying attention regardless of the foolishness he was feeling at being unable to read it himself.

-------------------------------------------------

_** End Notes**_: Sex scene removed from this chapter due to FF's submit laws. XP It is unedited in my MediaMiner page, which is in my profile.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Simon made it up before the crack of dawn to get ready for opening the inn and bar. Buttoning up his shirt he had decided to wear, he made his way down the steps slowly with a slight yawn—not really a morning person though the running of the inn forced him to be so. The floorboards moaned under his weight as he made it to the bar counter—he was surprised to see Jin sitting at one of the tables appearing fixed in thought.

"Jin, what are you doing up this early?" Simon inquired, making his way over to the circular, wooden table where the redhead was sitting. "Is something the matter?"

Jin had his cheek resting upon the back of his hand. His eyes closed, he listened to everything around him with a wiggle of his elfin ears. Opening his eyes to the inn owner, Jin hummed somberly. "If pay gets any slower, I will be forced out of the inn and onto the streets with Touya," he answered with a moan. "It's bad enough I have to try and find a decent doctor for a large sum of money, but I also have to try and maintain a roof over our heads."

"Is Touya doing okay?" Simon wondered, leaning back within the mahogany carved seat he was upon.

Jin fidgeted slightly upon the tabletop. "Last night he appeared to be doing okay when he was reading to me," the demon explained. "But in the middle of the night he got out of bed with this bad caught, and I found blood on his hands from the coughing."

"Bless the Goddess!" Simon exclaimed softly between the two of them. "It sounds to me that he might have a respiratory disease."

The redhead turned to Simon slightly bewildered. "How do you assume that? I thought you were an inn owner, not a doctor."

"My brother was training to be one," Simon clarified with a shrug. "I used to listen to him talk on and on about his medical practices." Noticing the time, he excused himself from the table. His wife soon gracing the scene, he nodded to her whilst making his way behind the bar.

Jin was quick to follow Simon to the bar. "Where is your brother now?" He took his seat at the bar, with his elfin ears shifted forward.

"I don't know, Jin," the inn owner answered with a somber sigh, knowing Jin was in desperate need of someone for Touya's sake. "I stopped speaking to him years ago. Last I heard he was somewhere out east trying to learn new medical tips."

Jin felt defeated. He was wishing there was a simple way to help his friend and a not so expensive way at that. His knuckles rapping upon the bar counter to release his anxiety buildup, he ordered his morning beer whilst cupping his forehead in his hands.

Simon recognized his friend's frustration as he grabbed a clean mug. Pouring the liquor into the clear glass, he kept his sight on Jin and his voice down with the Zexen citizens coming into his bar. "Of course, it wouldn't hurt to do what I suggested earlier, Jin."

"What was that again?" Jin asked seeing as his memory wasn't as great as it could be.

"Maybe you should go to one of the Grassland Clans and ask for help," Simon whispered, handing Jin his drink.

He sighed once more with his fingers gracing his forehead. "I guess—I am beginning to consider anything right now." Jin threw back the drink he had ordered before slamming the glass down on the counter. "Thanks, Simon. If you could get my regular breakfast order upstairs, that would be great. Touya cannot move around right now for the life of him."

"Of course," Simon said with a nod.

Placing his hands in his pockets, Jin gazed up at the inn door, which led into the room he often had rented out. Touya had been asleep since his coughing spell, but always appeared in agony when he slept throughout the night. Jin dared not wake him even if he worried for Touya.

Touya's bed creaked and moaned as he tossed and turned, flinching in agony within his sleep. Beads of sweat crept down his face as he lied under the covers of his bed, which he shared with Jin last night. His mind whirling with past thoughts and memories—he found himself placed up in the chilly north once again in nothing but darkness, the very darkness that he had been born within.

As part of his demonic ice clan, he was born to defend the village from other demons or from coldhearted humans who dared to walk upon their frozen land. Their home once under attack, Touya quickly came to his family and friends' aid with the skills he had learned growing up. His fighting ranked the highest of his clan, he had let one of the attacking demons slip through his defenses.

His narrow, cold eyes the only thing that could be seen in his black attire, he watched the other demon closely from the ground below as the other dark dressed, demon took to the treetops. Both of them reading their weapons, they lunged at one another—making the rest out to be a blur of furious motion.

The trees bent and swayed under the wind the other demon was unleashing while the roots froze under the ice demon's lethal, frozen hell attack. Some of the ice broke under the trembling earth of the two as their swords' steel clanked together. In the middle of the battle, Touya grabbed onto one of his smaller daggers to slice across the wind demon's face—just barely missing it.

The blue eyes of the wind demon widening at the attack he saw coming, he moved his head slightly to have the sharp, dagger slice through his black, ninja mask he was wearing. Touya's memory recalling how slowly it seemed to happen as the cloth of the demon's facade ripped apart as did a bit of the skin on his cheek.

Jin's mask unraveled, he jumped back with a growl at the ice demon as he noticed the small, bleeding cut on his cheek. Digging into his pocket, he released the throwing stars at the ice demon, cutting off Touya's mask in return as well as double cuts parallel to one another on his cheek.

The images of the battle of that night and there after continuing to flash into his mind, they eventually calmed down to the point where the two seemed to congregate with one another when nobody else from their clan would find out. The images flashing in and out at such a pace, it started to make Touya sick to his stomach even if they were memories he kept close to his heart.

The images turning red, as if from blood, Touya cried out agonizingly from where he was within his bed with an arch of his back. Sweat dampening his entire body; it looked as though he had been outside in a downpour with how his clothes clung tightly to him. His breathing labored, he stayed locked within his pain until the door to the bedroom finally opened.

The wind demon catching the displeasure on Touya's face, soaked in sweat, he hurried over to the bed, nearly dropping the tray in the process. He managed to place the breakfast he ordered upon the nightstand before grabbing onto the heated ice demon to shake him a bit. "Touya, Touya, wake up!" He called over his partner's cries.

Touya opened his eyes slowly though still in horrible pain. He hissed in displeasure as he thrashed his head from side to side. "I am so hot…!" Not able to stand the heat, he kicked the covers off of his body with what strength he had in hopes that would do it only to no avail.

"You're soaking wet with sweat!" Jin exclaimed as he picked up Touya bridal style to hurry into the bathroom. He turned on the cold water quickly for the tub before helping Touya strip off his clothing, which he had dampened with his perspiration. When he felt the water was cold enough and was high enough, Jin helped Touya into the marble tub, so the ice demon could cool off from the sudden heat, which took him over. "Just wait right there. I will go get you something cold to drink."

Touya nodded from where he wearily lied against the tub he was placed within. He breathed steadily to try and calm himself down. His fingers gripping onto the side of the tub, he moved slightly within the chilly water, which started to relax him.

The door to the bathroom opened a bit once more to allow Jin inside with a glass of water he put ice bits within in hopes of it helping Touya's abnormal sweating spell. "Here, drink this, and it should help."

Touya took the glass and took a sip with a nod to his forbidden lover. "Thank you, Jin," he whispered, rolling his head back to let the water caress his head and hair. "I am sorry about that. I don't know that happened to me."

Jin placed his hand on Touya's forehead with a worried expression written upon his face. "Nor do I, buddy. You would think you were roasting in a fire with how much you were sweating." He cupped his chin within his hand, humming in thought. "That isn't normal…even for a demon, and I am worried."

"I am sure it was nothing," Touya whispered as he took another sip from the drink in his hand. "I might have overloaded myself with too many past memories of us."

Jin chuckled. "You mean like a brain overload? Come on, Touya, don't be stupid," he scoffed playfully.

Touya took a deep breath before letting it out in the cold water he was within. "I think I am okay now," he announced, attempting to stand up after putting the glass down on the wooden floor, he placing his hands upon the cold marble of the rounded bathtub. "I don't feel as hot as I used to."

"Be careful," Jin sighed, grabbing onto the bare ice demon underneath his arms to help him up. He turned off the water, which poured out of the faucet. Jin grabbed onto the towel, which was folded up neatly on the floor.

The fibers embracing Touya's wet, chilly skin, he buried his cheek into Jin's chest with a subtle sigh through his nostrils. He wiped the sweat and cold water from his forehead as he made it back to his messy bed with Jin's help. "I just appear to be getting worse," he coughed within his hand.

Jin hugged Touya close to his chest. He felt awful for his crippled lover. "There are times I really wish I could take you back to the frozen north, so the healers of your clan could do something about this."

Touya briefly smiled—a smile unseen by Jin. "They wouldn't take me back now, Jin, you know that." He pulled back from Jin's warmth to look up at the wind demon with a furrow of his brow. "Not only am I now damaged and showing my weakness, I am an abomination who fell in love with not only an enemy but a male."

"It's sad to say this is the only time I regret falling in love with you," Jin said somberly, his arm around Touya.

"Don't," Touya insisted with another harsh cough into his hands. "If I were this sick in my clan, nobody would care for me unless I was to mate with a woman. And I have to admit, I don't want any woman from my clan—I would rather have you."

Jin kissed Touya on the cheek before guiding him back down on the bed with the towel wrapped about him still. "Just lie down for now." He brought the covers up over his partner before heading to the other side of the bed to get to the nightstand, where he had recently placed their breakfast. "If you want to eat, I brought breakfast in seeing as you were quite sick last night. I figured you might like it this way." Jin picked up the warm plate that had eggs and a few buttered biscuits on it to hand over to Touya. "It's kind of hot—do you have it?" He asked.

"I've got it," said Touya as he accepted the plate on his lap once he sat upright with the pillow against his back and the covers covering his lower half. Taking his fork in his other hand, he started to mix up his eggs a bit before slowly eating them.

Jin sat back upon the side of his bed with his own breakfast salad with grits and biscuits. "When you're ready for your grits, I can give them to you later," he said behind his hand, which he used to cover his mouth when eating his salad.

Touya merely nodded as he picked up the milk on the nightstand that belonged to him.

As Jin continued eating, he noticed the book that Touya had read to him during the night until he fell asleep. He was slightly nervous about talking about it, even in the confines of their own inn room, so he fidgeted slightly with his breakfast until the question overwhelmed him. "So, about the Grassland Clans…"

Hearing of the clans, Touya looked over at Jin with a raise of his brow. He moved the biscuit in his hand slightly away from his mouth.

"Do you know much about their medical practices?" Jin finally inquired with a tilt of his head.

His narrow, icy eyes wandering about the room for a moment, Touya placed down his biscuit and moved the plate to the empty space next to him. He leaned over his bed slightly to dig underneath in order to pull out a book he had kept in his possession for some time. Blowing the dust off of it, he wiped the rest off before handing it over to Jin. "There is a bit of information in there."

Jin accepted the book only to gaze at the title with a blank expression. "Touya, you know I cannot read. Didn't you retrain any knowledge from it?"

"The only thing you really need to know is that their knowledge is a lot more advanced than Zexen citizens'," Touya explained, picking up his plate once more to finish his biscuit he was previously eating. "They are more in tune with nature and know exactly what herbs and such can be healing to a person unlike the built in Zexen people who refuse to do anything but build on Mother Earth instead of use her to heal their own people."

"So they have advanced medical practices?" Jin wondered aloud, looking at the book's front and back before placing down.

"Yes, but, don't get your hopes up, Jin," Touya chuckled with a shake of his head. "The Grassland Clans hate Zexen citizens still from the past war, and they hate demons even more."

Jin shushed Touya with his finger to his lips.

"Well, it is true!" Touya exclaimed in a hushed whisper to satisfy the wind demon. "Look, there is no way in hell we will be able to get in there under disguise as human beings. They have villagers who are in tune with everything around them including spirits and demons. They will be able to tell who and what we are."

Jin felt his heart drop at the sound of such an opportunity escaping from his grasp yet again. He couldn't help but express his disappointment with a frown as he tossed the book gently behind him. "I guess it cannot be helped then," he sighed, turning back to his breakfast.

Touya added nothing onto the subject as he too went back to his breakfast. He was hoping that Jin would know when to quit. The ice demon was ready to give up, and he wished Jin would do the same.

--

Later in the afternoon, Touya went back to sleep as Jin stayed up to think on the sickness, which had enveloped the ice demon. His arms overlapped behind his head, he lied against the headboard of his bed, letting the wind seep through the crack of the window to caress his red hair. During his deep thinking, his eyes came across the book, which Touya had tossed at him earlier. Even if he couldn't read, he reached over to pick it up to open up to the first page—only recognize a few words and sentences.

Closing the book quietly, so as not to wake Touya, he quickly got to his feet. He slipped on his sandals before heading out the door down to the bar where Simon was still attending to customers. "Simon, I need to speak to you—privately," Jin stressed with the book in his hands held close to his chest.

Simon caught the eagerness in Jin's tone as he finished serving the last person at the bar. He hurried to the far end of the counter to catch the redheaded demon in disguise with a shrug to him. "What is it, Jin? What is the matter?"

"If I were to choose a Grassland Clan to go talk to," Jin began silently, "which one do you think would be more opened-minded considering where I currently stand?"

"The Chisha Clan," Simon said simply. "They live to the northeast. Their clan leader isn't brash like the others I have heard about. She looks into people's hearts rather than their backgrounds."

"How far northeast?" Jin asked, leaning upon the countertop of the bar.

"I would say at least three days away from where you're currently standing," Simon answered.

Jin bit his lower lip while tapping his knuckles upon the bar—something he usually did whenever thinking. "I know of a way to get there faster," he said softly between the two of them. He pushed away from the counter and ran for the door. "Tell Touya later today that I went out and will be back early tomorrow morning—just don't tell him **_WHERE_** I went!"

"Well, what am I supposed to tell him then?" Simon wondered only to have Jin shut the door in his face. "Jin?—Jin! Oh, brother…" the bartender sighed with a shake of his head.

The redheaded demon hurried through the crowded Zexen capital, making his way to the archway, which would lead him out of Vinay Del Zexay. He dashed past the men in iron and made it into the Zexen Forest without appearing out of breath. He whistling upon his fingers, he called to the white griffon he had taken care of since its hatch day.

The griffon hearing the wind demon's call, he kweed loudly and made his way down through the forest canopy to Jin's side. Seeing his master once more, he nuzzled into his chest, nearly knocking Jin over, with a warm purr rippling in his throat.

Jin gently pushed the giant creature back, so he could mount him. His hands holding onto his feathers tenderly yet firmly, he spoke within Wind Song's feathery ears. "I need you to take me to the Chisha Clan, Wind Song. They live up to the north somewhere. We have to hurry. I don't want to leave Touya alone for long considering his health," Jin expressed with a kick to the griffon's sides.

Flapping his wings, Wind Song pushed off of the ground with Jin's wind as his aid and headed off towards the north as his master instructed of him. The wind howling about the griffon, he tucked in his talons and back paws to soar majestically about the sky.

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**_Author's Notes_**: I know, I must be boring you people to death. LOL! But, just a warning, that I have been considering dropping my stories lately to work on my novel I want to get published. It seems a bit weird when I am writing out my most prized and treasured moments/couples on the net and reviews are less than standard (and what I mean by that is I hardly come across any).

But it is a thought right now that is drifting in my mind. Of course, this would mean I would dump my stories for a year or more depending. We shall see what comes to pass. ;-)


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Notes_**: Thanks to those who reviewed even if it was forced upon you. The thing is I have in mind to start writing my novel(s), but I have been debating on how to do so with three fics on my plate. I had planned on completing them and then writing to one of my novels I want to get published, but when support is so slow one can only wonder if stopping for awhile to work on it would be a good idea. ;-)

Well, here is another chapter. Enjoy.

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Touya roused from his slumber as his body jolted from the harsh coughing, which returned. Covering his mouth with his fist, he reached for the drink Jin had left on the nightstand for him. Bringing the glass to his mouth, he swallowed the clear, ice water to try and settle his aching throat. Blood was mixed with the water he consumed, making Touya gag slightly. "This cough is getting worse." He wiped his mouth with the back of his head, gazing over at Jin's empty bed. "Jin…?"

Pulling the covers from his body, Touya got to his feet slowly to look for the redhead finding no traces of him in the small room they had rented out. He found no signs of a note either making him worried. Touya hurried over towards the wardrobe to open the mahogany, carved doors to pull out something to wear before hurrying down to the bar where he spied Simon attending to customers as usual.

"Simon," Touya called over to the bartender softly, making it to an empty seat nearby.

"Hi Touya," Simon said a bit nervously as he hadn't come up with a decent cover story for Jin's leaving. "What can I do for you?"

"Where is Jin? Have you seen him anywhere?" Touya wondered with a slight shrug. "He didn't leave a note, and I know he didn't have a job to do. He always tells me when he does."

Simon tapped his fingers on the countertop nervously, biting his lower lip. "I am not sure, Touya. I did see him rush out of here like the Goddess only knows how," he said half-truthfully.

Touya could tell something was up as his demonic hearing took in the bartender's shaking words. "Jin didn't go do something stupid, did he?"

"No, no, of course not!" Simon insisted with a shake of his head. "He just took off to take care of something, I am sure." He caught the worried frown on Touya's face, sighing softly with a faltered expression. "I promise that Jin is okay, Touya—_wherever_ he is."

The ice demon managed a brief smile to Simon. "Thank you," he whispered, rubbing his arms to try and calm himself down from the rush he had experienced. Turning on his heels, he headed back to the inn room, not having the energy to do anything else lately.

He felt dizzy as he closed the door behind him and made his way to the cracked window. Touya leaned upon the windowsill to gaze out at the world he could only be allowed out within. "I sure hope he is okay," he wheezed to himself.

--

It was smooth sailing for most of the trip for Jin and Wind Song. As they were nearly to the Chisha Clan's boarders, storm clouds started to slowly move in. Jin could smell rain on the wind as it blew past him and the soaring griffon colored in white. He held onto the feathers of the beast tightly, moving closer to Wind Song's ears to call to him over the thunder. "We have to go lower!" Jin shouted to the griffon. "A storm is moving in, and we could be fried by the lightening if we're not careful!"

Wind Song's ear flickered at the feel of Jin's voice caressing his sensitive inner ear. Parting his beak he kweed loudly before tucking his talons under his chest to dive down a bit closer to the earth below.

Jin held on tightly as he had before, moving slightly to the right side of the large beast as it glided down towards the forest below them. The rain started to come down harshly upon them both at this time, soaking Jin clear to the bone in no time at all. "This weather is impossible!" He grumbled to himself, trying to hide into Wind Song's feathers.

The griffon breaking through the canopy of the thick woodlands, he evened himself out when the forest's floor came into view. The branches of the lush trees, now glistening in the raindrops, reached out like arms as if to try and grab the two. Both dodged the thick branches and the bare, tiny limbs, which dared to knock them from their course. The woodland seeming to stretch on forever, the trees eventually parted to give way to a clear plain and very muddy, dirt road.

Jin pointed to the road beneath them. "This must be the path that will take us to the village," he called to Wind Song over the roaring wind and rain. "Follow it closely, Wind Song!"

Wind Song kept close to the dirt path regardless of how harsh the wind currents became. It made the rain sting as the droplets bit at their bodies until Jin used his own influence to manipulate the wind currents, so the rain would blow away from the griffon at least.

The clear plain with a few dotted trees and mountains outlining the horizon, continued to rule the path they were upon, before finally sloping down into the Grassland village. The village had a vast vineyard down the slope of the hill, which was the main entranceway into the Chisha Clan's village. A few cows could be heard mooing in the barn as well as chickens and roosters running frantically across the village's grassy plains. Their houses looked like small, little towers. There hardly seemed enough for a full village of people to Jin as the two of them landed in the center of the Grassland Clan's boundaries.

A few of the women nearby gasped at the large bird like creature and the demonic monster, which accompanied it. The doors of the stores that were in sight closed quickly to shut out the intruder. They knew who he was and feared a demon attack on their village.

"I guess I should have expected this," Jin mumbled, walking cautiously to one of the doors to knock upon it with his knuckles. "Hello? I really need to speak with someone of this village—preferably the chief!"

"Go away!" A woman boldly remarked from behind the door he was knocking upon. "We do not want to fight with you!"

"I don't want to fight either!" Jin insisted over the furious storm. "I am looking for medical help for my friend! Please, take me to the village chief!" The woman on the other side not speaking again, he sighed with a shake of his damp hair. Turning around, he was more than surprised to see three spears pointed directly in his face. He moved his hands up to his chest as if to surrender, though he couldn't help but push one of the spears away from his chin with his index finger. "What the hell is going on?"

"What do you want, demon?" One of the men asked in a shaky tone, fearing the powers that the beast held.

"I told you, I just want to speak to your chief!" Jin reiterated before slapping one of the spears, which wandered back to his cheek, out of his face. "Get that damn thing out of my face!"

"Lower your weapons," an elder woman begged from behind the eager warriors of the clan.

The warriors listened to the woman walking into view. She looked to be in her late 60s or early 70s—at least that was what her eyes and face could tell Jin. She wore fabric over her head that concealed her brown hair. It wrapped about her neck and cascaded down her back a little bit in an intricate design. Her black dress was stained at the rim with a bit of mud, making the white designs a bit difficult to see. The vest she wore kept her warm from the chilling cold with the long-sleeved white shirt underneath it.

"I am Sana, the Chisha Clan's chief," the woman answered, staring deeply into Jin's deep blue eyes. Looking to the three warriors, she nodded to them. "Go back inside. He is not here to harm anyone."

The men were hesitant to lower their spears let alone leave their elder chief alone with a powerful demon. They looked at one another before listening to their leader, departing for one of the stores nearby as if it were their home.

Jin watched them rush over to the weapon store with a raise of his brow. "Do your people live in cramped conditions?"

Sana shook her head at Jin's question as she waved him over towards the door marked as an inn. "Our people may work above ground, but we all live underground mostly." Her fragile, aged hands opening the door for the demon, she waved him on inside. "Please, come inside."

The wind demon's elfin ears moved slightly at her words. "Are you sure that is okay? What about your demon, hating villagers?"

"Do not worry about them," Sana said softly over the pouring rain. "They are peaceful people though never mind their jumpy nature." She walked on inside of the inn's main room that had a desk off to the side, occupied by a frightened, young woman once her eyes rested on the redheaded demon. "You will have to forgive them for demons have not hesitated to attack our village in the past."

"Really?" Jin began sarcastically as he followed her to the stone staircase not too far from the door that led downward. "I never would have guessed."

Sana walked gracefully down the cold, hard staircase to make it to the bottom floor, which appeared to be filled with passageways blocked by wooden doors. Some of the people ran from fear at the sight of the demon they were not blinded to. Turning down a narrow hallway covered in stone, she headed for a wooden door at the end of the corridor to open it and reveal a bedroom on the other side. "We can talk privately in here if you wish."

Astounded by her hospitality, Jin shrugged and headed on inside of the comfortable room lit by candlelight. "Is this a trap?" He asked with a slight chuckle as he made his way over towards the wooden chair at the table in the center of the cozy underground room. "I have to admit that I wasn't expecting such a welcoming considering."

"You are not only of demon blood but from Zexen apparently," Sana guessed, looking at his clothing as she sat across from the wind demon. "I can only imagine how narrow your mind has become dealing with Grassland Clans."

Jin's head moved slightly back as if someone had attempted to slap him. He found the comment a bit of an insult but knew it was factual all the same. He said not a word in his defense.

"I have to say I am surprised myself," Sana whispered, moving the lit, thin candle of white wick closer to the center of the table cloth. "I have never seen a demon's eyes so void of malice and anger."

"I guess we surprise each other," Jin murmured between the two of them with a nod to the elder woman.

"So what is this about your friend?" The Chisha chief asked. "What is wrong with him?"

"That is the problem," Jin sighed, running his fingers through his damp hair. "I really wish I knew what was wrong with him." Rather anxious about the situation, Jin started messing with the tablecloth by folding it certain ways on the corners. "I have asked Zexen doctors to look at him, and they cannot find the problem. I have asked doctors all over Zexen territory and not a single one of them could diagnose him with anything nor could they cure him."

"So you are hoping that our doctors may be of help?" She wondered aloud with a tilt of her head.

"You make it sound hopeless," Jin expressed somberly with a twitch of his frown.

"I am not saying it is hopeless, demon. It will be the Spirits' way and their desire to help us heal your friend." Sana paused, looking down at her withered hands. "Demons are damned angels and souls. I know you are not like other demons, and I bet your friend is no exception, but you have sinned in a previous life—went under the Spirits' laws. We are not sure if they were save you now."

Jin rolled his eyes at the talk of the clan's religious beliefs. "Spare me, human! I didn't come here to hear about your religious beliefs. Religion is what damned Touya and I further from our own demonic clans!" He clutched his fists there on the wooden table top try to control his anger. "Why can't people just stop a moment and try to help somebody instead of blaming some false celestial being for fowl things that come? My soul went where it wanted to go—where it _knew_ it had to go when my human body died. _Nothing_ guided it there. _I_ damned _myself_."

Sana shrugged with a sigh herself at Jin's words. "I guess everybody's belief is different whether from Zexen, Grassland, or demon. I will tell you what, if you bring your friend here, we will try our best to get him back on his feet. We are not guaranteeing anything, but we will try with what the Spirits have blessed us with."

"Thanks," Jin expressed, pushing himself up out of the chair he was sitting within. "I am a bit worried about taking him out during such cool weather. The chill in the air might kill him or worsen his sickness."

"Wrap him up tightly then," Sana suggested as she got up with the demon. "Either way, demon, he is going to die slowly in a Zexen city if the illness is that serious. It is best to risk the travel."

Jin was still nervous about the move, but he knew there was no other way to do things. "I guess I will go get him—we can make it back before it is dark."

"It would be best not to go out in this storm," Sana said, placing her hand on his upper arm. "I am sure it will lighten up soon enough for you to travel out within."

"You don't understand," Jin said, moving his arm away from the elder woman. "I cannot leave Touya there alone in that inn room. He is sick, and he needs me right now. Nobody else is there to help him out." He headed for the wooden door his demonic sight could make out in the dense candlelight to open it and allow himself outside into the stone walls of the underground village.

Sana followed the brash demon out of the room as quickly as she was able. "What good will you be to your friend if you are ill yourself?" She asked, grabbing onto the corner of the stone corridor to watch as Jin threatened to head back to the surface.

Jin paused in his steps, looking over his shoulder at Sana.

"There has to be someone at the inn who will care for your fallen friend in your stead," Sana thought.

"There is Simon, but he works the entire inn," Jin answered, his back remaining turned to Sana. "I cannot relay on him to handle both tasks."

"Stay here, demon," Sana urged once more. "Even your immune system cannot fight off the sickness that will await you if you endure that storm once more. I will send a young woman out to Zexen on the giant bird you arrived into town on. She will risk the weather for the sake of your friend."

The wind demon turned around to look at the clan chief. "You promise me that you won't harm him?"

"We won't hurt him," she assured softly.

"Good," Jin snorted lightly with a shake of his wet, red hair. "Because if you do anything to harm him, I'll destroy this entire village if I have to."

"He must mean a lot to you if you're willing to go that far," Sana expressed as she headed towards another door in the area they were within. "Go talk to your bird creature in the meantime. Tell him that he needs to take one of our women to your friend. I am sure he will listen to you."

Jin sighed slightly as he hurried back up to the surface to hunt for the griffon, Wind Song. The wind had gotten ridiculously strong, making the rain beat harshly against the earth below. Mud puddles had almost become small lakes within a matter of minutes. It all frightened some of the cows and chickens as the wind howled and hissed with every thunder roll. Wind Song himself couldn't help but feel uneasy as he reared up on his hind legs with a few irritable squawking sounds.

He quickly ran over to the griffon with his hands up to block the mud he was slinging everywhere from his front talons. "Whoa, Wind Song, whoa!" He called to the beast over the pouring rainstorm—thunder ripping through the clouds with the quick lightening flashes. He managed to grab onto the neck of the soaking creature. His fingers rubbed the griffon's beak in attempts to settle him down. "I know this storm is crazy, but I need you to go back to Touya, and you will be taking a young woman from this village with you. Do you understand me, buddy?"

Wind Song's ears slightly erected at Jin's words upon the howling wind. His large, innocent eyes blinked several times with attentiveness to his master to show he was listening.

One of the doors of the small tower like buildings swung open to allow way for a young woman of the clan to the surface. She had her hand over the fabric, which was situated upon her forehead, and parted down the center to cascade down her back, hiding her apparent brown curls. Grabbing onto her dampened dress, she hiked it up enough so she could run over to where the wind demon was stationed. "I am here to head to Zexen for you!" She yelled over the abrasive wind. "I promise I will make it there to care for him during your stay here!"

Jin nodded to the woman, helping her over to the side of the griffon. "Just hold on tightly to his feathers. They are set in their firmly, so don't worry about ripping one out." He walked back to the front of the griffon, cupping his head in his hand. "Wind Song, stay low to the ground. If you go any higher than a forest's canopy, the wind will surely sweep you off course to who knows where. Be careful, but be fast—now **_GO_**!"

With that motion Wind Song kweed loudly with a flap of his wings to take to the sky with the young Chisha woman onboard. The woman was startled at his takeoff to say the least, and she quickly grabbed onto his feathers to stay close to him during the stormy ride.

Jin stayed in the rain, watching them leave with a knot of worry forming in his stomach. He feared without his influence over the wind something may happen to the both of them. But eventually he brushed it off, hoping for the best, before he hurried back to the inn door to slip back inside out of the stormy weather.


	7. Chapter 7

The storm had moved towards the west where Zexen territory was firmly set. The wind began to blow harshly upon the stone of the city walls, filling the air with the smell of rain. The clouds, once so bright and clear, grew dark in gray with thunder softly sounding though growing louder the closer the storm crept. The wind getting stronger every passing moment caused some stores to close early and people to hurry to their housing or the nearest open store until it would pass.

The windows at the Vinay Del Zexay inn began to rattle slightly upon the callused currents. Touya was fast asleep at the time and paid them no heed being the heavy sleeper he often was. Some of the wind managed to seep through the cracks of the windowsill and lick at the pallid skin of the ice demon, but, regardless, the demon didn't stir and remained there under his bed covers where his body throbbed with slight pain; especially in his throat area.

Simon watched the storm from inside as he shook his head of any negative feelings of Jin begin swept away within the powerful thunderstorm. _I sure hope that fool didn't die out in that downpour. He is much too foolhardy_, Simon thought to himself as he rested his elbows upon the bar counter.

His young wife, Elaine, came to the bar counter in the maroon dress she always wore every day with a white apron hanging from her waist. Her curly, brown hair swayed slightly as she looked over her shoulder at the empty dinning tables before bothering to eye her husband once more. "Do you want me to go check on the pale skinned young man upstairs, Simon? His redheaded friend has yet to return," she pointed out from where she stood behind the barstools.

Simon ran his fingers through his stringy hair with a sigh before waving his wife away with a nod. "Please do so for me, Elaine…" His voice trailed off as he wished to be alone to think on the worries set firmly within his mind.

Elaine nodded at Simon as she headed for the old, wooden staircase, leading to the inn rooms upstairs. Each board creaked under her shoes as she made her way down the hall to the room rented out to the two, unseen demons. Her knuckles rapping upon the wooden door, she called to the other side. "Mr. Touya," her delicate tone beckoned from behind the door's frame. "It is me, Elaine. Would you care to let me in?"

Nobody answered, and the door didn't move from where it was currently locked in place.

After waiting for a few seconds, Elaine dug into her apron's front pocket to pull out the set of keys she had on hand at all times. Flipping through them, she came upon the one used to lock and unlock the door before her. She inserted the silver key into the lock, turning it until she heard a clicking sound to indicate the door was unlocked. Elaine pressed against the wooden door to watch as it slowly swung open to let her inside. "Mr. Touya?" She called again, walking in with a gentle close of the door.

The ice demon was still there under the covers of his bed, sleeping soundly it appeared from where the woman currently stood before the door she had just come through.

Pocketing her keys in her apron's pocket, Elaine headed towards Touya's bedside with her hands folded before her. She felt a bit uneasy about disturbing the young man, even if she knew him and Jin very well given the years they had been living there. Her dainty hands placed upon his side, Elaine shook him gently. "Touya, wake up," she beckoned close to his ear.

There was a slight pause in the man's deep breathing as he slowly roused from his slumber. The bed groaning from Touya's movements, he looked over his shoulder at Elaine, surprised to see her there of all people. "What is it?" He asked softly, rubbing his eyes. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I was just asked to come in and check on you," Elaine answered, noticing slight signs of sweat on the man's face. She grabbed the edge of her apron to dab Touya's face with a tilt of her head in slight worry. "Are you sweating?"

Touya placed his palm upon his forehead to feel of the warm perspiration there with a sigh through his nostrils. "Apparently so," he responded with a brief, sidewise smile. "It wouldn't be the first. I broke out in a bad sweat before."

"But it isn't even that hot, Touya," Elaine pointed out. "Apparently your illness is getting worse…whatever it is."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Touya said unenthusiastically, reaching for the glass of water, which was upon the nightstand nearby. After taking a few drinks of the water, he gazed about the bedroom not seeing any sign of Jin. "So, where is that big airhead, Jin? Is he still not here?" He tried not to sound worried, but Touya was feeling a bit concerned about the situation.

Elaine shook her head slowly. "I am sorry, Touya. I don't know where he went, but Simon assures me he is okay."

Touya pulled the covers off of his body so he could move off of the bed and head for the bathroom. "I will be right back. I need to splash water on my face."

The storm appeared to worsen from what Simon could see from beyond the bar counter. He was cleaning up the dishes and wooden counter top though a bit on edge as he watched the ocean waves rise up, threatening to wash over towards the inn's windows, as the inn was situated near the docks. The windows and door banged as the wind pushed against them. Simon tried to pay it no mind as he ducked down behind the counter to put the glasses he cleaned back where they originally were stocked. However the sound of the door flying open scared him to death, making Simon drop one of the glasses in his hands.

The young woman from the Grassland Clan made her way into the inn she had been directed to, soaking wet from head to toe. She stood there shaking before the door, which she closed behind her, before hurrying over to where the shocked Simon was standing over at the bar. "Excuse me, but is there a man by the name of 'Touya' here?" She asked out of breath from the running she did.

Simon looked at the young Chisha woman with a raise of his brow. "Why are you asking for him?" He wondered until recalling Jin departing in that direction. "Did a man named 'Jin' send you?"

"Yes," she answered with a few quick nods. "So is the young man here?"

Simon made his way out from behind the bar, waving for the woman to follow him with his fingers. The young Grassland woman following behind him, he headed up the staircase to the second level to head down the hallway to the room belonging to the ill-stricken ice demon. "This is the room," he said softly, knocking on the wooden, carved door. "Elaine, are you in there?"

Elaine got up from the bedside of where Touya was resting to open the door her husband was calling from behind. Finding the foreign woman's attire strange, she eyeballed her with a tilt of her head. "Who is this?"

"My name is Leola," the Chisha woman answered. "I came here to watch over the young man over there and guide him to my clan in the Grasslands." Leola made her way over to where Touya was sleeping upon the inn bed, dampened with sweat and the water he had splashed on his face previously.

Simon thumbed over his shoulder when addressing Elaine. "Come on, let's leave them alone. I am sure they will be fine in here," he whispered, heading out of the inn room.

Elaine did as her husband suggested as she closed the door behind her.

Leola pulled one of the chairs close to Touya's bedside noticing the flushed look on the ice demon. She hesitated on touching him at first, with her hands slightly raised above his shaken form. Hurrying to the bathroom, she pulled down one of the clean towels before rushing back to the demon's side. The dabbing she did on the chilled, creature's skin caused him to stir.

Touya moaned softly before opening his eyes slowly to the dimly lit bedroom. His narrow eyes colored of the brightest blue falling upon Leola; he growled threateningly wondering who she was. "Who are you?" He asked defensively.

Determined not to buckle from the ice demon, Leola took in a deep breath and kept her feet firmly planted on the floor. "My name is Leola, and I am here to take care of you before helping you to my clan where your redheaded friend is located."

Lifting his head up slightly confused, he looked over Leola best he could before lowering his head back down to the welcoming pillow seeing as his head was pounding, and his throat was burning. He knew the attire from one of his books he had read. Touya tried to search his memory for the placement of where Leola probably came from. "Are you…from a Grassland Clan?" He finally asked wearily.

"Yes, you sound unsure," Leola pointed out, wiping Touya's face still. "I thought all Zexen citizens knew what a Grasslander looked like."

"I don't get out much," Touya was quick to point out with his weary tone. "All I can do is read books about your clans. It's the only window I have to the outside world these days."

Leola looked over at the book Touya was partially gazing at to pick it up and gaze at the cover. "What is Grassland literature doing here? I thought this wasn't allowed behind Zexen's stone walls."

"It's not," the ice demon answered simply, closing his eyes with a sigh of frustration over his ill-fallen body. Hearing the wind howling beyond the windows with the rain tapping furiously upon the glass in its own rhythm, Touya hummed softly in thought. "How did you manage to get here in one piece in such a storm?"

"I got here thanks to the large bird creature your friend controls," Leola explained, eyeing the storm as well from where she sat. "I fear trying to take you out in this weather, even if I promised him I would try to get you to Chisha." She looked down at her own soaked form, removing the veil like headpiece, which cascaded down her back, she wore. "I myself will have to try and get warm unless I too want to fall ill."

"So…Jin is actually at the Chisha Clan?" Touya wondered wearily, hefting himself up on his elbows for a moment to look at Leola better. "And nobody from the clan attacked him being who he is—you do know what we are, right?"

"We are not blind to the spirits whether damned or otherwise," she answered, heading for the bathroom. "Your friend is alright. We are trying to keep him settled, so he won't destroy our village."

"He threatened your clan?" Touya asked from the bed, the door to the bathroom cracked only slightly so Leola could change in private but hear any orders from the ice demon. "It figures. Jin was never a man to think with the small bit of brain he was blessed with."

"It isn't his fault," Leola sympathized. "When a loved one is in trouble and dancing with the spirits, people will say and do the craziest things." Removing her wet clothing, which continued to drip upon the bathroom floor, she placed it on the side of the tub before grabbing a towel that was body length to dry herself off with. "I am sure your friend is just really worried over your well being, and it makes him on edge and angry when people try to stop him."

Touya agreed silently. He gazed up at the ceiling, listening to the slight commotion going on behind the wooden, cracked restroom door. "Do you have anything else to change into? If you don't, there is something here belonging to Jin you can barrow. I am sure he wouldn't mind." Touya pushed the covers off of his body to get to his feet and head over to the dresser.

"You want me to wear…men's clothing from Zexen?" Leola asked confused, peeking through the doorway with her body concealed behind the towel.

"I promise the clothes don't bite," Touya assured as a joke, pulling out one of Jin's forest green, long-sleeved shirt with baggy, brown pants. He made his way over to the doorway Leola was standing within with the clothes in hand, giving them to her with a weary expression. "And they don't smell either, so don't worry."

Leola didn't catch the humor in it as she accepted the clothing hesitantly. She shut the door before her to change in private once more. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to wear this until my clothes dry out." Pulling the shirt over her head, she let the sleeves roll over her hands before working with the pants. "So, I am going to sit here with you and take care of you until the storm clears up."

"Well, it may be awhile," Touya pointed out with a sigh of exhaustion, wiping his forehead with the back of his head as he sat upon his bed's covers. "The smell of rain is quite heavy—so heavy that I can even smell it from in here."

"Demon senses must be quite sharp," said Leola as she made her way back to the main room. "It's amazing you can sense that even from in here behind closed doors."

"You'd be amazed," the ice demon said neutrally, rubbing his throat with his chilly hand.

Leola noticed the rubbing Touya did to his gullet. "Is something wrong with your throat?" She asked, sitting upon Jin's bed.

"Thanks to my coughing, it's gotten a little difficult to swallow without pain and not to mention the taste of blood," Touya grumbled slightly, trying to use his cold touch to relax his sore throat.

"Well, why don't you lie down, and I will go get something for that to help," Leola offered standing to her feet, brushing the baggy pants she was trying to get used to. "I will go out a grab a few things that should help that Zexen doesn't keep stocked within their cold walls."

"You are going to make an herbal mix?" Touya wondered with a cock of his thin, sky-blue brow.

"That's not a problem, is it?" She asked, heading for the door. "There is one herbal mix my mother taught me that should help with a sore throat. It works wonders. I promise."

She appeared excited about the idea of creating it, making it difficult for Touya to turn down the thought. Sighing through his nostrils, he nodded at her as he turned his back towards Leola. "Alright, I will wait here then. Just promise me you'll take an umbrella or something with you when you go back outside. I don't need Jin's clothes getting mudded up. He'll kill me."

Leola paused in the doorway hearing about the umbrella Touya wanted her to use. "Umm, what's an umbrella?"

Looking over his shoulder, Touya pointed at the umbrella located in the far, right upper corner of the inn room. "Open it up outside and it will shield you from the rain. It will help you greatly," he explained, coughing into his fist.

Hurrying over to the umbrella, Leola grabbed it up to examine it before turning back around to get what she needed for the mix to sooth the ice demon's throat. "Just hold on, demon, I will get your medicine mixed up for you in no time." The inn room door closed behind her, she quickly tiptoed down the wooden staircase to make it outside in the horrible storm. Eventually figuring out how to open the umbrella she had never used before, she put it over her head to listen to the melodic tapping of the rain as Leola scurried for the exit of the Zexen capital.

--

After awhile of tossing and turning uncomfortably in bed, Touya's body, fed up with the pain, drifted into sleep taking the ice demon back to the years where he used to still live with his demonic clan filled with ice demons—cold and unforgiving like a winter storm from the inside out.

Touya remembered walking to the elders that day, his feet crunching the snow with every step he took towards their house covered in ice crystals and layers of the white powder, which constantly fell up north. He moved the hanging flap out of the way to make his way inside of the soft blue and white marble, crafted interior. His body not bothered by the bitter cold, he wore his sleeveless, white shirt with black, baggy pants to the meeting he was called to.

"You wanted to see me?" Touya recalled asking the elders, who sat around an icy fire, which glistened off of the crystals that appeared unfazed by the heat that they surrounded.

The elder, ice demon lifted his crowned head, allowing his stringy, white hair to cascade further down his back as he gazed deeply into the younger demon's eyes with his own, piercing gaze of ice. His pallid skin was lit by the flickering, blue flames he sat around with the other elders, who were deep within a prayer it appeared. "There is a group of foreign demons moving in towards the south of the Almoon Woodland. The Ice Goddess foretells of their coming here." The beads decorating his white strands of hair, which rested over his shoulders, ratted slightly against one another as he moved his head once more back down at his intertwined fingers. "We need our warriors to go down to the bridge connecting over the ravine to stop them from crossing over."

"And you want me to go?" Touya asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Raising his hand, the elder made the blue flame rise to conjure up a picture within the white and blue embers. It was the picture of the ravine the elder spoke of. "Be quit about it, Touya. We are giving you the leadership of this attack. We trust you and your experience." With a quick motion of his hand to the side, his fingers lied flat; he changed the picture of the fire to that of the redheaded demon he could sense. "This one is their strongest fighter. It would be advised to take him down first."

"Fine," Touya said unenthusiastically, rubbing the back of his head. "I will go gather up some of the warriors and take these intruders down before nightfall." He didn't feel that the fight would be much to worry over as he headed for the archway exit.

"It is wise to be cautious, Touya," the elder informed with his head bowed and his eyes closed in mediation again. "To underestimate one's foe is a way to die a foolish death."

Touya shrugged off the advice as he headed back out into the snow covered village to his own home located on the edge of the forest surrounding the clearing the village was built within. Moving the hanging flap out of his way, he made it into his home, heading into the back bedroom where he planned on changing.

Grabbing onto the silver, curved handles of his dresser, he pulled the doors open to reveal his ninja attire. The black outfit hanging in the back, he pulled it off of the hook it was hanging on. He grabbed onto the rim of his white shirt he was wearing to pull it off over his head to toss upon his bed. _There is no way I will allow these demons to take over our village_, he thought angrily to himself as he quickly dressed himself, pulling the black fabric over the slope of his nose.

Once he managed to get his weapons together, Touya gathered those he knew would be able to handle being under his command without objection. Leading the warriors to the edge of the ravine, they all ducked into cover and waited for the demon clan to show up on the other side of the bridge. Touya watched the other side of the bridge from the highest branch on one of the towering pine trees surrounding the area. Kneeling upon the thick branch covered in snow, he narrowed his eyes through the heavy snowfall to try and focus on the energy he could just barely feel on the other side.

The snow falling from the bushes on the opposite side of the ravine, Touya watched attentively as the demons made their way towards the bridge though apparently doing so cautiously given the energy they must have vaguely felt from the ice demons. Touya knew that if he powered up to attack, it would cause a problem, so he had to wait for the right moment to do so.

The wind currents began to get rambunctious, causing the smell of the snow covered pine to waft the ice demons' senses. Nobody stirred from where they lied in wait. Touya kept his narrow eyes upon the middle of the bridge, waiting for the demons to step upon it. Once they were lined within his view, the beginning of the group anyways, he quickly powered up his Ice Shards before releasing them upon the bridge.

Sharp, ice shards piercing the air cut through the bridge's ropes, which kept it up. Some of the demons plummeted to their death in the steep ravine below, lined with layers of sharp rocks, which cracked their bones and pierced their demonic bodies. Others, however, used the wind around them to take flight and head towards the energy they caught when the ice demon unleashed his sneak attack.

"They're wind demons!" Someone exclaimed underneath the snow covered canopy.

"Attack!" Touya demanded regardless, waving forward as he pulled out his sword.

The fighting started to wear on Touya's mind as he continued to sleep uncomfortably in the inn. Parts he could remember so clearly while others were as dark as the night sky. He could remember clearly the blood soaking the pure, white snow when both sides suffered from the blows spared. He remembered watching as Jin, covered in the same dark, ninja attire, made his way easily over everyone and headed eagerly for the ice demons' village up ahead.

"Oh, no you don't!" Touya growled under his breath as he ran after the wind demon after managing to gut the other demon, who dared to come upon him with his own sword. Pushing the dying creature away from his tainted blade, he ran after the disguised Jin quickly.

His narrow, cold eyes the only thing that could be seen in his black attire, he watched the other demon closely from the ground below as the other dark dressed, demon took to the treetops. Both of them reading their weapons, they lunged at one another—making the rest out to be a blur of furious motion.

The trees bent and swayed under the wind the other demon was unleashing while the roots froze under the ice demon's lethal, frozen hell attack. Some of the ice broke under the trembling earth of the two as their swords' steel clanked together. In the middle of the battle, Touya grabbed onto one of his smaller daggers to slice across the wind demon's face—just barely missing it.

The blue eyes of the wind demon widening at the attack he saw coming, he moved his head slightly to have the sharp, dagger slice through his black, ninja mask he was wearing. Touya's memory recalling how slowly it seemed to happen as the cloth of the demon's facade ripped apart as did a bit of the skin on his cheek.

Jin's mask unraveled, he jumped back with a growl at the ice demon as he noticed the small, bleeding cut on his cheek. Digging into his pocket, he released the throwing stars at the ice demon, cutting off Touya's mask in return as well as double cuts parallel to one another on his cheek.

"So it is you—the one the elders warned me about!" Touya growled, keeping his sword out and tilted slightly to the side before him. "In order to get into my village, you have to get past me, wind demon!"

"If you want to play that way, I will gladly play with you," Jin answered, grinning ear to ear as he circled the opposing ice demon.

Touya coming right at him quickly, Jin was quick to raise his sword to stop the steel from piercing his body. Powering up his wind once more, he attempted to blow the ice demon back from him—the force quite strong.

The ice demon was unable to keep his footing any longer. The currents of the icy wind too much for him to handle, he fell backwards, causing his sword to fly out of his hand to bury into the snow covered ground not too far away. He got to his feet quickly, however, once Jin stopped using his wind, and Touya tried to hurry for his sword.

Jin was right on the idea with him as he too tried to grab Touya's sword so that his adversary could be unarmed. When the ice demon nearly shot ahead of him, he eyed the sash around Touya's waste and cut it off with his sword before pulling it off with a quick movement of his hand.

Feeling his pants about to fall off, Touya stopped quickly in his steps and grabbed onto the edge of his black pants. "**HEY**, give that back!" He demanded as a blush painted across his face as he knelt there in the snow; Jin now had his sword as well.

Jin couldn't help but find it amusing as he kept the demon's sash in one hand and his sword in the other. "Which do you want—the sword or the sash?"

"**_BOTH!_**" He shouted angrily through his teeth.

The sound of the demons making their way towards where the two of them where located could be heard echoing throughout the forest; Jin recognized the foreign energy levels of that of the ice demons and not of those he had been sent with. "This isn't over," he said, throwing down both the sash and the sword. "I will come back for what I want!"

Touya watched as the wind demon quickly vanished, leaving behind the items he wanted. He took the cut sash to retie it about his body to keep his pants from falling again before sheathing his sword with a confused look. "What was he looking for?"


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Notes**_: Just a warning that my 2 year anniversary with my lover is coming up on the 20th, and I am going to celebrate it by writing a Jin x Touya one-shot, so it may take me awhile before getting back into my other stories until that fic is finished. Also, I got hired at the local fast food joint nearby, so working hours are in sight. Bleh. Sorry for the coming delays :-P. Enjoy the chapter.

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The storm was still causing the trees and shrubs to blow about harshly under the abrasive wind currents. The rain stung at Leola's eyes as she tried to shield the chilly drops with the umbrella she was given. She had hurried into the Zexen Forest to find the herbs she would need in hopes of soothing the ice demon's throat. Kneeling down in the muddy ground, dirtying up the outfit of the wind demon, she plucked a few flowers she would need growing near the towering Zexen oaks. Putting them in the basket she had with her, she got to her feet in a hurry to rush back towards the Zexen's stone walls.

"I sure hope this mix works," Leola mumbled to herself as she covered up the basket, which contained her mixture of herbs she managed to find.

Leola made her way through the cobblestone archway of the Zexen city, and then towards the inn. Some of the guards looked at the Grasslander woman with piercing gazes through their armor garb. She said and did not a thing, knowing her clan's life was on the line if she failed the ice demon. The inn door soon within sight, Leola grabbed onto the handle and made her way inside, soaking wet regardless of her using the umbrella to shield her from the downpour.

Simon was slightly startled as the door flew open to allow way for the young Grassland woman once more. "It is good to know you made it back in one piece."

"My clan is on the line if I fail," Leola replied cryptically as she hurried up the stairs, the water dripping onto the wooden floor as she did so.

The bartender wasn't sure what she meant and merely shrugged it off as he continued to clean the glasses, which needed cleaning. He didn't worry about the water smeared all over the floor at the moment, as he knew his wife would get to it when she could.

Leola opened up the door quickly to Touya's inn room to find the ice demon stirring uncomfortably in his bed with a few moans of displeasure. She placed the umbrella over where she last remembered it being before putting her basket down close to the bedside. Like before, she was hesitant to touch the demon in mental pain before finally rocking him harshly in attempts to wake him from his restless slumber. "Demon, wake up!" She beckoned to him over the slight commotion he was causing.

The woman's voice reaching him, Touya couldn't help but suddenly reflex from the dream abruptly ending by pushing her away as he shot up in bed. Realizing where he was, he cupped his sweaty face with his chilly hands to attempt to wake himself further. He gazed over at the startled woman through his fingers before lowering them away from his face with a shaky sigh. "I am sorry. You scared me out of a deep…sleep is all."

Leola steadily got back to her knees to get closer to the bedside once more nervously. "It must have been some dream to have you react so quickly."

Touya shook his head at Leola's comment not wishing to elaborate on it. He noticed some of the items the Grassland woman had brought it within the woven basket she had with her when she arrived. "So how are those roots and flowers supposed to help me?"

"I have to crush them up first," Leola explained. She grabbed onto the wet cloth hanging onto the side of the water bowel upon the nightstand to help the demon be rid of the hot beads of sweat clinging to his face. "I brought a fire rune with me, so I can heat it up into a liquid form for you to drink."

Touya took the cloth from Leola. "I will handle this. You take care of that herbal mix you promised me." He began dabbing at his face with the cold water with a sigh. "I am ready to feel better now no matter what it takes."

Nodding, Leola got to her feet with the basket in her hand to head over towards the circular table near the windows lined perfectly side by side at the opposite wall. "This will take just a moment. I am sure you will benefit from it."

"I hope so," Touya mumbled to himself as he tried to relax from the dream he had experienced.

--

Jin remained deep underground where the Chisha Clan citizens mostly lived. He could hear the storm clearly from the vibrations the thunder and continuous rainfall let out through the stonework. The demon remained secluded within one of the many rooms littered throughout the labyrinth like hallways. He was aware if he wandered about, the people would grow nervous and some might even attack him. Jin dared not risk that as he waited impatiently for news as he sat upon the bed.

The door to the room he was waiting in eventually opened to allow way for Sana. She held a glass of wine within her hands carefully as she made her way over to where the wind demon was waiting impatiently for the storm to settle. "Here," she said softly to Jin as she handed him the wine. "This is what you asked for, and this is our finest wine."

He accepted the wine and took a sip in attempts to settle his nerves. "When the hell is this storm going to settle up?" He asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"It is slowly moving towards the Zexen land," Sana answered. "It is possibly a reason why your friend has yet to make his way to our clan. Leola and the demon most be in the heat of the storm."

Jin cupped his forehead with a sigh. "If things don't get better by later tonight, I am going there myself to help them here. I cannot risk him being there even with just one Grassland woman."

"You appear to not trust us," Sana pointed out as she listened to him closely, folding her hands in front of her dress.

"Forgive me, but my trust in the Grasslanders isn't very high," Jin admitted as he took another sip from the wine.

"You mean to say that your trust is blind towards us," the village chief felt need to point out from where she stood. "Zexen literature and those who thrive off of the past didn't exactly paint us in a fair light. When your demon kind threw you out, you looked to those to find someone else to hate."

"Your assumption is laughable," Jin scoffed as he got to his feet to tower over the woman. "I trust whoever the wind deems trustable whether human or demon alike. I didn't read anything to place my views upon the Grassland Clans; rather I heard rumors of their barbaric ways. I do not trust them maybe due to those rumors but it's mostly because the wind I call to doesn't say much of your people. The wind spirit you people call to is of a holy nature—mine is of the damned, so it knows little of the Grasslanders."

"So the holy wind doesn't speak to you?" Sana inquired curiously.

"Talking to your 'holy' wind would be like me trying to talk to angels," Jin explained as he threw back the rest of the wine. "It is damn near impossible, lady." He gazed at the wine glass for a bit before placing it down on the table nearby. "Not bad. It doesn't have that kick like back home, but it's not bad."

Sana took the glass back with a nod to the wind demon. "It is best you rest now. If you plan on going out through this storm, you will need all your strength."

Jin said nothing as he sat at the wooden table for a change, merely nodding at her suggestion. When the chief left him in peace once more, he turned his gaze upon the candlelight upon the tabletop whilst running his fingers through his stringy hair. "Every time I try to sleep, I am always worried about Touya. There is no way I could catch an ounce of sleep right now," he grumbled, lowering his head down to his arms he had crossed upon the table's woodwork.

The worry he felt was starting to make him sick as he sat there twitching his foot from side to side in eagerness to get up and head back to Zexen to guide Touya to the clan's sanctum. Looking up from where he had his head rested, he noticed a bookshelf across from where he was sitting, resting against the wall. He looked about the room as if to make sure he was alone before getting up to head over to the shelf lined with many books of different sizes, shapes, and colors. Brushing his hands upon his pants, he took one off of the shelf to look at the title.

Some of the titles he couldn't read alone, forcing him to place them back where he found them before going to the next one and then the next. Eventually he stopped at a book, which caught his interest given the designs placed upon it. He couldn't read the title but there was something about it that pulled him towards it. Jin opened to the first few pages of the book, skimming over some of the words he couldn't bring himself to pronouncing. Detailed pen sketches of artwork were seen doodled upon certain pages of the book and that pulled his attention to the detailed artwork.

A detailed sketch of the landscape about the Chisha Clan caught his attention as did two words he remembered Touya saying over and over again. "Alma Kinan," he mumbled with his finger marking the woods.

Quickly he got to his feet with the book at his side. Jin scurried down the hallway his room was within to try and find someone who could help him. However, as soon as he made himself known, many of the people scattered in fear of his presence. When nobody in the connecting corridor stayed around for him to ask for help, he went up the stone staircase nearby to make it to the library the clan had. He saw the woman there putting a few books within place, giving him the perfect opportunity to ask her.

"Excuse me, but could you read this title for me?" Jin asked as he made it over to the wooden counter with the book in front of his chest.

The librarian woman turned around to catch the sight of the wind demon, making her withdraw with her mouth slightly gaping open. She knew it was impossible to run from the demon given where she was standing, so she took a deep breath and tried to settle under his intimidating stature. "I…umm—can I see the book…?" She asked nervously, her hands shaking as she outstretched them to accept the book in the demon's possession.

Jin handed over the book, relieved she didn't run, but he could see her fear within her eyes. "I am not going to eat you. You can relax."

His words did little to calm her nerves as she looked at the title of the book. "Old Rune Magic of Grassland," she said simply before handing it back over to the demon. "It is a book about the rune magic—some said to be myth, like the True Runes, and some said to be factual. Why did you want to know?"

"Do you have any books on Alma Kinan?" Jin asked, avoiding the question slightly.

"Yes," she answered with her fingers nervously tracing the carpentry of the counter she was behind. "We have a few of them."

Jin waved her over even if she jumped back slightly from his hand movements. "Come, come, and show me!" He demanded. When the woman didn't move from where she stood, he sighed slightly in frustration. "Please, I want to get these books lined up before Touya comes here. He would really appreciate them."

The Chisha woman eventually found some peace in his words. To hear a demon pleading honestly was something else. "I guess…I could help you." She made her way out from behind the counter cautiously to make it over to the wind demon. The fair haired woman walked slowly past the wind demon to get to the other side of the room to find the books documenting the Alma Kinan Clan from the Flame Champion War till they went back into isolation. "So are you interested in the Alma Kina?"

"I am not interested in them," Jin said honestly as he accepted the books the woman pulled from the shelves. "My friend, Touya, is. Since he is sick, he reads a lot and he has been on this recent obsession over the clan. I don't know why."

"Well, I guess we will get these books together for him then," she said, her voice still quivering slightly at being so close to a dangerous creature. "If you want, you can read them before then. It could help past the time."

Jin paused slightly at her words as he tapped his fingers against the books' bindings. "I cannot…read," he admitted to the woman.

The woman looked over her shoulder at the demon seeing he wasn't pleased to admit such a thing aloud. "Oh, I am—I am so sorry," she said sympathetically. "I guess demons really don't need a reason to read."

"Some do, some don't," he said with a sigh. "I never found a reason to read, but having someone like Touya as a friend who can…well, it makes me feel rather inferior."

"And yet your vocabulary doesn't appear such," she felt need to point out, pulling the last book from the shelves to hand to add to the growing pile in the demon's arms.

Jin peered from around the pile of books he was trying to balance in his arms. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Forgive me, but your speech appears very intellectual," she explained as she took half of the books from the demon to spare him the weight. "It would be hard for me to guess that you couldn't read. Most illiterate people cannot say such words as you can." She looked over at the descending staircase. "You'll have to guide me to your bedroom."

"It's this way." Jin headed down the cobblestone stairs slowly so he wouldn't trip with the books balanced neatly in his hands. "When you have someone who is a book person, you have a tendency to hear him say words you learn by the way he uses them," the wind demon explained as he made it into the underground corridor.

"I am Piper, by the way," Piper said almost randomly though she felt need to introduce herself. "So you are a verbal learner then."

"My name is Jin," said Jin return as he made it to the room he was offered from the village chief. "I guess you could say that. If someone says something, sometimes I remember it. It depends on how important I find it to be." He grabbed onto the handle of the door to open it for them both. "Touya says I have an air-headed memory—that I only remember the things I want to."

Piper made it into the underground bedroom, placing the books she had on the empty, circular table in the center of the room. "Do you want to learn to read?"

Jin looked at Piper through the candlelight with a slight movement of his elfin ears. "I have thought about it, sure, but I cannot say now is really the time to try and learn anything when my friend is so sick. Besides, what would I benefit from learning to read?" He asked with a chuckle, sorting the books in a neat, even pile.

"You could read to your friend when he is too sick to," suggested Piper with a shrug.

The thought pained Jin as he hitched slightly in breath at Piper's words. "Let's pray that it doesn't come to that," he slightly begged with a brief smile. "But thanks for the offer. I will keep it in mind."

"Are you sure?" Piper pried with a tilt of her head with her light, stringy, auburn hair flowing from the cap she wore.

The demon couldn't help but smile once more at her persistence in wanting to teach him. "I will pass for now. Right now I need to wait for the storm to lighten up, so I can go and get Touya to bring him here." The demon sat down on the bed once more; cupping his forehead within his hands once he lowered his head in worry.

Piper watched his actions as she was heading for the door, feeling sorry for the damned creature. Closing the door before her, she headed over towards the anxiety stricken Jin to kneel nearby him with her hands upon his broad thigh. Her violet eyes peered up at the dark facial features of the wind demon. "You shouldn't worry. Your friend will be okay."

Jin looked over at the sympathizing human woman through his wild, red bangs, which hung before his sight. "Thanks," he whispered. "This is the longest I have ever been without him by my side, and I cannot help but worry when we are miles apart."

Within those words he spared her, Piper was able to piece together why, but she said not a thing about it. She rested her cheek upon his thigh where her hands were placed. Piper wish she could be more reassuring, but she didn't wish to give the demon false hope about a situation, which wasn't clear to her.

--

The rain tapping upon the inn windows began to softly tap upon the glass where it was once furiously pounding upon the windowpanes. Leola pulled her attention from the medicine bowl she was warming up with her fire rune she had brought with her. "It appears the storm is lighting up. We may be able to head to the clan after all." She pulled back from the mahogany chair she was sitting upon to head over to the ice demon with the liquefied herbal mix she made.

Touya was fighting to stay awake as he was running on empty as his body had been disagreeing with food lately. He had become a mousier eater than usual. Feeling Leola shaking his body, he woke slowly from his borderline slumber. "Wait?" He asked wearily.

"You need to drink this," Leola urged as she sat on the side of the bed next to the ice demon. "Once you drink this down, we will head to my clan." She supported the back of the demon's head, tilting the bowl slightly towards his mouth to help the medicine she had concocted down his throat.

The ice demon wasn't use to the taste, making him flinch and gag slightly thanks to the aftertaste. "That stuff is quite strong," Touya remarked as he coughed upon his ending words.

"Give it awhile to settle," Leola advised, pushing the covers off of Touya to bring his legs over towards the side of the bed so she could help him to his feet. She grabbed onto the blankets to wrap about the ice demon's fragile body to keep the chill of the stormy weather from worsening his state. "In the mean time, I need to get you outside to that griffon. We are late as is, and I don't want your friend to get impatient with me."

"I promise Jin won't level your clan. He's all talk and no actions," Touya insisted as he struggled to get to his feet with Leola's help. Once he managed to stand upon his wobbly legs, he leaned against her thinking on what he would need. "I am going to need my weapons and books to take with me."

"I will come back here later tomorrow to get your belongings. Right now we need to get you out of here before the storm decides to kick back up again," Leola suggested as she headed for the door trying not to fall over with the weight of the demon upon her. She opened the door and headed down the staircase slowly with Touya, catching the owner of the inn on her way out. "If you could keep that door closed upstairs until I return tomorrow, that would be wonderful."

"You plan on returning?" Simon asked with a raise of his brow.

"I will tomorrow to get his belongings," Leola explained, heading for the exit of the inn. "I can only handle so much right now, and he is top precedence."

Simon moved his cheek from his open palm, his elbow resting upon the clean, bar countertop. "Alright, I will ask Elaine to lock his bedroom. Take care of him and the other redheaded goof he's normally with," Simon joked slightly though he silently prayed to the Zexen Goddess for the two once the door to his inn closed.

Once outside, Leola whistled for the wind griffon as loud as she could. She knew she couldn't risk guiding Touya to the archway of the city without his sickness possibly getting worse with the falling rain.

The whistle tickling his feathery ears, the griffon perched upon the top of one of the buildings of Zexen took flight to head for the inn towards the docks of the city. His wings flapping against the damp wind currents, he glided down towards the Chisha woman and the ice demon. Whistling through the subtle rainfall, he lowered slightly down to the damp stone ground to allow them on his back.

Leola helped Touya on first, making sure that the blanket was wrapped about him good and tight before getting on herself. She situated her legs over the griffon's wings, leaning forward to grab onto his feathers to hold onto tightly. "Head back to my village, griffon," Leola demanded to the beast. "Hurry!"

Wind Song's feathered ears twisted around slightly at Leola's words, he took flight back into the rainy weather. Some of the citizens, which resurfaced from the stores nearby in attempts to hurry home, had to hold onto their belongings tightly as well as duck to avoid being scraped by the talons of the mighty beast that flew above them with such powerful wings. The griffon paid them no mind as he made it over the cold walls of the Zexen city to head for the Grassland Clan where his master was.

"Just hold on, demon," Leola begged over the roaring wind, which threatened to blow them off course. "Don't give up on me." She kept the ice demon tightly bundled upon the griffon in front of her, locked in prayer the whole way there.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Notes**_: Sorry for the long wait on this one or any other fanfic I have out and about right now. It is mostly my fault. I am so into World of Warcrack that I don't find the time to sit and actually write a story chapter. I am trying to work harder on things like this, and I apologize. Comments are slow and so am I. I apologize, guys.

Also no thanks to our newest dog, Pippi, I keep calling her Piper or the other way around. Xx; Damn story. lol

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Piper's sandaled feet tapped against the stone floor of the underground clan. She held in her hands a round, clay dish with red liquid filled close to the brim of it. She made her way to the room that the wind demon had claimed as his for the time being. Her foot slipping into the small crack of the doorway, Piper opened it slowly to allow herself inside.

Jin was sitting at the candlelight table, with his forehead resting within the palm of one hand while the other outlined some of the titles of the books Piper had managed to gather for him. He was on the brink of falling asleep with how much wine he had lately requested and not to mention getting a slightly bit tipsy in the process.

She could see that the demon was getting quite tired by how he would tilt his head down before jerking it back up again as if to wake himself. The clay dish she held clanked as it met with the wooden table once Piper placed it down close to Jin. She put her hand upon Jin's back as she leaned in close to the demon's flushed cheek.

"You look very tired, Jin," Piper said with a shrug. "Are you sure you don't want to lie down and go to sleep? You look like you could use a nap at the very least."

Coughing within the palm of his hand, Jin turned to look at Piper with a slight nod of his head. "I guess that sounds like a good idea," Jin said, though his words slurred slightly as he attempted to get to his feet.

Piper quickly acted as Jin's crutch as she helped the slightly tipsy demon over towards the cot not too far from where he was sitting previously. She pulled back the covers of the bed before helping him down slowly to at least sit upon the comfortable mattress. The demon appeared quite lethargic thanks to the consumptions of alcohol he had taken in, and Piper couldn't help but feel badly for the young demon given he was worried over his friend.

The wind demon was too drunk to care to even undress a bit for taking a nap, so the young Chisha woman did it for him as he remained seated. She pulled off his sandals for him before bothering with his shirt as Piper noticed he was sweating a bit from the poor ventilation underground and the troubled thoughts probably didn't help any either. Once they were removed, she helped Jin lie down before pulling the covers over him.

"Sleep well, demon," Piper whispered as she picked up one of the candles in the room as she blew out the others. "I will be at the vineyard if you need me."

Jin merely grumbled his response as he closed his eyes to try and catch some much needed sleep. He heard the door close behind Piper once she left him in peace. His ears twitched at every little sound they could catch. It made his mind start to wander to the past as he heard a very faint patter sound—of water dripping and tapping upon the stone grounds.

----

The same tapping sound could be heard within a distant cave the wind demon had taken up after he had been outnumbered by the ice demons Touya had under his control from what he could recall from centuries ago. The cold dampness of the cave bothered him very little, and Jin didn't flinch when a drop of water broke upon his forehead, cascading down the slope of his nose. He was too consumed with personal thoughts of his own as he kept his eyes upon the distant ice lands claimed by the ice demons.

_I have to get back in there_, Jin thought to himself as he leaned against the craggy wall of the cave. _Apparently fighting my way in isn't going to work, so I guess I'll try the other route. _Pushing himself off of the side of the damp cave wall, Jin ran out of the mouth of the cave before taking flight into the darkening sky above.

Touya tossed his weapons upon his bed before planting his rear upon one of the many pillows, which were piled about his room's marble floor. It still bothered him as to what the wind demons were after as they knew the tribe rarely attacked theirs. The wind demons were known, for the most part, to be peaceful and very religious in their own beliefs much like the ice demons, but the two sides never converged, never aided one another, and never waged war on the other, so it bothered Touya and the tribal leaders of the ice clan.

He leaned his head back to rest his light blue hair upon the pillows scattered behind him in attempts to relax. As he did so, a simple snap of a twig caught Touya's attention. Quickly he shot his head up and gazed over at the nearby window he had closed. He pushed himself up off of the pillows scattered on the floor to inch his way slowly over towards the window to check outside with his ice powers at ready.

A foreign shadow seemed to move quickly across the snow covered trees and ground outside, putting the ice demon further on edge. He pulled from the window and hurried over to the door of his house with his ice sword forming about his right hand. Pushing away the thick tarp, Touya stepped outside with his ice sword at ready. "Who is there?" He asked in a demanding tone.

Nothing answered the ice demon's question, leaving him to lower his sword and call back his powers. The ice sword pulled from his hand, Touya turned on his heels to head back into his home. As soon as he closed the flap behind him, the wind demon dropped from the ceiling with his dark attire on and a new mask, which covered all but the area about his eyes, and drew his steel sword to place over Touya's neck to stop the ice demon from making another move.

"Don't make a sound," Jin's tone demanded through the fabric, which concealed his mouth. "Now, tell me where it is."

"Where is what?" Touya asked seriously as he made not a move with the blade dangerously close to his throat.

"Don't be stupid!" Jin demanded angrily through his teeth as he was desperate. "Where is the crystal?"

Touya grunted slightly as the wind demon pulled back on his hair. "I am not trying to act stupid, demon—what crystal are you talking about?"

"The crystal!" Jin repeated again angrily. "The cleansing crystal!"

Still dumbfounded, Touya shifted his eyes from side to side trying to think of what crystal the demon was speaking of. "The only crystal we have around here is the Goddess' Crystal, which is located in the Ice Goddess' Temple."

Jin pulled back the blade he had against Touya's throat, pushing the ice demon forward with an irritable sigh. "Then at midnight you are going to take me to it!" He said angrily.

Touya fell upon the floor, grumbling from the fall before turning around to look up at the wind demon. "Why do you need that crystal for?" He asked with his eyes narrowing further with a growl rippling in his throat. "Nobody is allowed to take that crystal—not even people of the ice clan!"

"I don't care!" Jin hissed as he looked over his shoulder at the ice demon. "I really need this crystal!"

Cocking his icy blue brow at the foreign demon, Touya had to ask, "What for?"

Jin sat down at one of the chairs open within the bedroom, keeping his sword resting against his right shoulder. "That's none of your business," he remarked childishly.

Moving his hands behind his back slightly, Touya worked on powering up his Ice Shards attack discreetly for a moment. "Well, it kind of _**is**_ my business when you're stealing from our Goddess!" Pulling his hands from behind his back, Touya quickly unleashed his attack at the wind demon, who was quick to move but not without getting scratched on the shoulder and cheek by the released ice shards.

Jin's bare feet sliding upon the marble, he kept his sword in one hand while the other rested upon the slippery surface beneath him. He quickly headed for the ice demon with anger at Touya's retaliation.

Recreating his Ice Sword, Touya brought it up to defend himself against the oncoming blade of the opposing demon. The two kept their eyes locked on one another as they forced what strength they had into the blades they were using that rested against the other. Touya knew he couldn't afford to lose, as he didn't want to disappoint his Goddess or his people, so he quickly got down on his free hand and brought his right leg around to trip up Jin.

Losing his footing, Jin fell upon his back with a harsh thud. Shaking his head slightly in attempts to ward off the attempt to black out, he soon found the end of the Ice Sword in his face.

"Alright, wind demon, I am going to take you to the elders of this clan, and you'll wish you never stepped foot on this plain alone," Touya threatened.

-------

Leola kept a firm grip on the griffon's dampened feathers as well as keeping an eye on the ill stricken ice demon. Touya had passed out from the overwhelming heat, which had taken over his body. The young Chisha woman worried for Touya's health and for her own clan's health. She knew if she came back with a near dead demon, the wind demon wouldn't be too happy and might destroy her friends and family.

"Come on, ice demon," Leola begged through the storm. "We're almost there! Just through this forest and we're home!"

Song Wind weaved through the many towering trees in the Kupo Forest. He lowered his head to try and avoid the rushing raindrops, which bit at his face. Shaking his dampened feathers as he continued down the road beneath him, he released a loud griffon kwee as if attempts to call out to his master he knew was close.

Jin remained asleep underground in the Chisha Clan's open room thanks to his drunken stupor. His elfin ears twitching slightly, he caught the muffled cry the griffon unleashed, causing him to slowly bat his eyes open. His head throbbing from the drinks he had previously consumed, Jin rubbed the area hidden under his fiery red bangs in attempts to settle the headache. "Oh, man…," Jin moaned before he caught the griffon cry once more. "Wind Song…?...Wind Song!"

Realizing who it was, Jin attempted to shoot up out of bed quickly, only to have his stomach become unsettled from the Chisha wine. "Good Gods above…!" He grumbled in displeasure as he held onto his stomach.

Wind Song's wings flapped steadily as he landed before the Chisha Clan's warriors who were waiting outside for the incoming ice demon. Once the wild griffon landed, the warriors hurried forward to help Leola off of the beast's back before hesitantly helping the sickened demon off as well.

"Take him quickly to one of our open rooms," the village chief demanded through the harsh wind currents, which carried the dampened air from the storm that was slowly settling.

Piper witnessed from one of the stores above ground as Touya was pulled from the griffon's back and helped towards the inn building. She closed the door from the general store before heading quickly down the stairs in the storeroom, which led to the main underground living areas of the clan. Her sandaled feet tapped against the stone ground as she made it in a hurrying fashion to where she had left Jin. Grabbing onto the wooden doorknob, she opened the door quickly. "Demon—your friend is here!"

Jin had his legs over the side of the bed he was within, rubbing his forehead still as the headache remained. "I heard…I can hear Wind Song."

She could tell that the demon was in pain from the bit of wine he had consumed. Piper pulled from the door and made her way inside to help the wind demon. Her hand upon his back, she leaned over slightly to get a better look at Jin's face, which was masked by the darkness of the underground. "Are you okay? Do you need me to get the clan nurse?"

He raised his hand and shook it to express his answer. "No, I am fine. I promise. It's just a minor hangover."

The commotion outside of the door catching her attention, Piper looked over her shoulder for a moment before turning her attention to the sickened demon. "They are going to bring your friend here and check him out later in the day."

"Why don't they look at him now?" Jin grumbled slightly.

"Our most experienced doctor is not at the village for the moment," Piper explained as she helped Jin back down to the bed, knowing he was in no shape to be up at the moment. "Just relax, you're friend will be fine."

As soon as Piper spared those words to the wind demon, the door flew open. The guards holding onto the passed out ice demon's body made their way over to the empty bed within the same room they offered Jin. They pulled back the covers quickly before placing down Touya on the softened mattress.

With all the commotion going on, Piper was pulled away from the room with force thanks to the guards that were eager to settle the ice demon as if fearing hell would be unleashed if they didn't do everything correctly. Jin watched from where he was sitting upon the other bed, though everything around him was a bit hazy.

"How is he…?" Jin mumbled with his head continuing to pound. "Is he alright…?"

The guards responded to Jin's questions, but he was unable to retain the answers from how heavy his head felt. Not able to take it any longer, the demon rolled his head back and closed his eyes—not able to stay awake any longer.

--

All was quite for the coming hours passing through the Grassland Clan. Some of the villagers were still put on edge with the pending threat they felt looming over their heads with the souls of two demons hidden under their very village's soil. The village chief was on edge as well—worried for her people even if she knew that the demons meant no harm to anybody deep down. What she feared the most was what the tension between the two parties would cause.

Her hands folded before her, Sana invited herself into the room Jin was still within. She had opened the wooden door quietly so as not to disturb the wind demon, recalling his headache earlier. The old woman was surprised, however, to see the young Piper sitting upon a wicker stool not too far from the demon's bed.

Piper had watched the demon sleep throughout most of the day and well into the evening. She was worried for his health as any regular human would die from the amount of alcohol he had consumed via worry. Piper was so hooked onto the wind demon's steadily rising and falling chest that she didn't even notice the chief standing near the doorway until Sana felt the need to clear her throat.

Snapping her head in the direction of the door, she found the elder village chief standing there. Piper didn't move, but her expression faltered into sadness as she turned her saddened eyes upon the wind demon. "Oh…hello, Chief Sana…"

Sana headed over towards the stool Piper was sitting upon to delicately place her aged hand upon the young woman's shoulder. "You are braver than the others to sit here by the demon's side as you do, Piper. What has gotten you so interested?"

Piper's fingers tapped upon her lap before releasing a built up sigh. "I guess I just pity them and the situation the spirits placed upon them." She kept her focus set upon the slumbering wind demon. "Will his friend be okay?"

"It will be up to the spirits to decide," Sana said simply. She gazed over at the demon with her weary sight. "Has he woken up since he passed out?"

"Afraid not," Piper responded with a shake of her head. "I've been waiting for him to do so."

Sana gazed over at the agony stricken ice demon at the other bed. She could see he was sweating horribly with his face contorted in what appeared to be unbearable pain. She pitied the demon as she gazed at him from across the room before pulling her attention from him to Piper. "Why don't you stay here with the wind demon while I get his friend moved elsewhere? The doctor doesn't feel comfortable with a territorial demon sitting in the other bed where his back will be turned. He wishes to work his best and not under pressure."

Piper nodded in agreement. "I promise I will. You can move the ice demon out into another room if you need to. I will explain to Jin what is going on so he won't get upset."

"You have come to call the demon by its name," Sana pointed out as she turned towards the ice demon. "It is best not to get too close to such a creature as they are wild and unruly just like the wind spirits."

Not knowing what to say as the guards came into the room to cautiously move Touya, Piper merely nodded though lowered her head slightly in submission to the chief's words to her. She watched through the flickering candlelight as the ice demon was moved from the bed—he releasing a disgruntled cry of pain that slightly spooked those attempting to help him.

Jin apparently caught the sound of his partner with the help of his acute hearing. He didn't wake; however, he turned his head slightly, growling within the depths of his throat. "Touya…," the wind demon managed to grumble in his slumber.

Piper raised her brows at the name Jin spoke. When the door closed behind Sana and the others, she reached over to gently shake the wind demon. "Jin, are you okay?" She asked softly.

Scrunching up his face with his eyes still closed, he moaned while rubbing his forehead. "Don't talk so loud."

"I am not," Piper assured him with a brief chuckle in the back of her throat. "Your head is hurting from drinking too much Chisha wine."

"I'm sorry," said Jin as he continued to massage his forehead in attempts to settle his headache. "I've never gotten that bad in decades…"

Piper pushed herself up off of the wicker stool she was upon to pull a few things from the nearby cupboards to help make a medicine that would help his body settle from the hangover the demon had received. She couldn't help but look baffled in the densely lit room at the remark about his wine consumptions. "It has been 'decades'? Exactly how old are you?"

"Too old to count or even care to remember," Jin answered. Looking over at the empty bed on the other side of the room, the wind demon felt a ping of worry. "Where is Touya?"

Closing one of the wooden cupboards, she looked over at the empty bed. "They had to move him to a different room. The doctor wasn't too keen on treating him when an angry demon was within the area….sorry," Piper apologized on the doctor's behalf. Pulling a bowl from the cabinets as well as a few herbs to crush together, she sat down at the table in the center of the room to begin working on the medicine she had in mind for the wind demon.

Jin shrugged slightly with a soft sigh. "That is how the world is and always has been..." his voice slightly trailed off not wishing to continue on that subject.

Piper could tell he was uncomfortable with the thought making her try to think of a different subject. "So, how exactly do two demons of different elements manage to come into such a…forbidden union?"

Hearing her hint such a thing between the two lovers made Jin freeze temporarily before become territorial about the touchy subject not everybody was open to. "Why do you care?" He asked, anger lingering on his every word.

Hitching in breath at the slight sight of his fangs and the sound of his anger rising, Piper cowered slightly from where she sat. "I am sorry! I didn't mean to offend you or anything; I was just curious!"

Jin waved off his anger hearing Piper's frightened speech. "Sorry myself," he sighed. "I am used to people being so ignorant of us and our feelings for one another. Our clans threw us out when we were found out all because of their religious standards. It's hard enough being a damned being…but being a damned being shunned from your very own people is worse." He looked over at Piper through the candlelight. "It's like you don't belong anywhere anymore."

Piper's fingers tightly embraced the sides of the bowl she was using to crush up the herbs within her possession. "That's so sad to hear," she whispered in sympathy. Continuing on with her concoction she was making, she asked, "Do you care to tell me about how you met? It will be awhile before the doctor is through looking at your friend."

The wind demon was silent for awhile, gazing up at the ceiling to watch the shadows dance at the beckoning of the flickering flames on the center table. "How much time do you have?" He asked, tapping his fingers upon his stomach where his arms were crisscrossed.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Notes**_: Once again I apologize for putting my stories on the backburner, guys. Work is hell and has me working too much for a part-timer, and I went on a game buying spree so I have three games I am locked on. I am trying to finish these fan stories of mine so I can work on my novel pieces. I just have so many things on my To-Do list that it has become hectic for me.

Once again, I apologize. Just be patient with me. I **MIGHT** be going on a brief hiatus because of work being something else. Forgive me if I do so. I will return when possible.

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Jin recalled being thrown upon the snow covered ice land before the elders of the Ice Clan with two guards watching him from behind and two on each side with readied ice arrows. The ice demons weren't taking any chances with a wind demon on the loose in their very village. Shaking his head free from the snow, which had gathered upon his fiery red hair once he was thrown upon the ground, he looked up at the elders baring his teeth to them in anger.

One of the three elders stepped forward with his head lowered slightly to make his eyes difficult to see through his long, flowing silver hair, which matched the color of the snowy lands. "What business have you in our lands, wind demon?" The elder demon demanded to know in a low, tone filled with age.

The redheaded demon growled as he slightly withdrew from the ancient ice demon. "I am looking for a cleansing crystal said to be within this land! I need it!" Jin said eagerly.

The elders gazed at one another shaking their heads in confusion and disbelief at Jin's words. "There is no such crystal here except for the crystal of our beloved Goddess," the elder continued as he walked steadily forward. "And you will not deface our Goddess' lands by tainting her holy crystal shard." The ice demon pulled out a necklace covered in beads of different colors with a slip of paper attached to the end of it with their foreign language written upon it. Bringing the side of his right hand against his face, he scrunched down all but his index one and started mumbling some words to cause the paper to glow.

Jin recognized the charm as it was a holy charm often used by humans to force demons out of possession of humans. He shook his head several times at the item coming closer to his face. The charm touching his forehead caused Jin's skin to burn harshly and for him to release a cry of pain. He fell upon the snowy ground exhausted from having such an item drain a good bit of his energy as well.

"Who will watch over this intruder until his fate is decided?" Another of the elders asked from the three at the council.

Touya stepped forward with his sword drawn and at his side. "I will watch over the wind demon until the Goddess decides where his soul shall reside."

"Can you handle this, young warrior?" One of the other elders, young in appearance, asked from amongst the three. "His intrusion into your home was enough to have us question your awareness of his abilities."

Insulted by the elder's remark, Touya scoffed at him. "He may have gotten me with my back turned, but it's hard to have a griffon trap close upon you when you see it there before you."

The ice cold air blowing through the wisest elder's silver hair, the ice demon stepped forward. His long, slender fingers showing his age, he outstretched his hand to hand over the enchanted necklace. "Take this to keep the wind demon calm and in his place. It is best to be careful as the charm works on any and all demons if not used correctly."

Touya accepted the charm and placed it in his pocket for the time being. He then turned his attention to the exhausted wind demon that couldn't find the ability to move. Unsympathetically, Touya grabbed onto the chain, which had been enchanted as well to keep the demon from attempting to escape, pulling upon it. "Move him back to my house," he demanded to the guards watching the wind demon closely.

The two ice guards grabbed underneath Jin's underarms to pull him to his weakened legs to drag him back to Touya's house. The elders at the council watched closely as their strongest warrior and master of ice made off with the weakened wind demon.

--

The wind began to blow harshly that night as Touya attempted to get ready for bed. He could tell the wind wasn't demonic and wasn't blowing for the sake of the captured wind demon, but rather doing so to hint an oncoming snow storm. Taking his short sleeve shirt, which had fur about the shirt collar, off, Touya tossed it upon his bed and caught the sight of the wind demon in the process.

Jin was exhausted from the effect of the demon exorcism charm still, lying upon his side while breathing steadily. He released a soft moan before attempting to stir from his slumber, which appeared to be painful to him in some fashion. His eyes finally shot open as he gasped for air. "Chris!" He seemed to scream randomly, panting there upon the floor in worry.

"Be quiet, wind demon!" Touya ordered as he sat upon the side of his bed to keep an eye on his windows at the storm brewing outside.

Gazing about the small home Touya lived within, Jin recognized it from where he lain. "Why am I still alive? Why has your clan not killed me?"

"The Great Goddess of the Ice decides everyone's fate to us," Touya explained as he pulled the shoes from his feet, "Whether they are intruder or clan member alike."

"I don't have time for this!" Jin grumbled as he wiggled against the floor. "Let me go! I have to get out of here with that crystal!"

"What crystal are you talking about, wind demon?" Touya inquired with a slight roll of his eyes not believing his 'fairy tales'.

Jin continued to struggle upon the floor, releasing a sigh of frustration as he gazed up through his fiery red bangs at the ice demon. "I was told of a crystal in this part of the ice lands that has unimaginable healing abilities. It can cure any illness known or unknown to mankind, and for a very personal reason, I need that crystal!"

Touya recognized the story that Jin was speaking of as he sat there upon his bedside with the wind howling louder every passing moment. He got to his feet to head over to a trunk he kept within his room to pull out a small box amongst the belongings he had stacked within there. "The item you are referring to isn't a crystal—but rather, this," at that moment, Touya opened the box to reveal a small, blue shining orb. "This is the True Water Rune passed down by my family, and while it has great attack power, it also has great healing magic."

His eyes growing big at the sight of the True Water Rune, Jin struggled harder to get free. "That's it! That's what I have been looking for!" Growling angrily at not being able to break free, he gazed up at the ice demon in the same irritable manner. "Now, please, give it to me!"

Hearing Jin's orders, Touya quickly closed his fingers about the True Water Rune with a shake of his head. "I do not take orders from low level wind demons," he mumbled with a narrow of his ice cold eyes. He turned around shortly after to head back to his bed to rest upon it. "Besides, your fate is tied to the Goddess now, and She decides what will happen to you."

"You don't understand! My mo—my _friend_," Jin stressed slightly with a grunt as he wiggled upon the floor, "is in dire need of that rune!" He continued to struggle against his restraints, which bound him tightly with his hands behind his back and a demonic energy seal to keep him from calling to the wind. "If they don't get it soon, they will die!"

Touya looked over at Jin with a slight raise of his brow. "Your friend 'Chris', I assume?"

Jin snorted through his nostrils like a wild stallion. "How did you guess that? I know the ice demons are capable of many things, but I doubt mind reading is one of them."

Closing his eyes, the ice demon sighed with his arms across his chest as he answered. "The elders of our tribe are more in tune with that gift, actually. As for me, listening in on people's dreams is always easiest." His eyes opened once more, he gazed down harshly at Jin there upon the floor. "I heard you say the person's name. If your friend is immortal, they shouldn't have reason to fear over any such disease. What could possibly harm a wind demon?"

"But my friend isn't immortal! They are a human being!" Jin announced once more.

Touya couldn't help but laugh briefly at Jin's response. "What demon would subject them-self to being friends with a human being?" He didn't wish to hear anymore of the wind demon's excuses, making Touya get up from the bed and threaten to part to his closet.

"I would do so because the person is my mother!" Jin yelled in attempts to call the ice demon back.

Pausing in his footsteps, Touya turned around slightly with his mouth slightly open in wonder.

"Lady Christine, sometimes known as Lady Chris, is my human mother who lives in the Zexen Capital," Jin explained calmly though sounding slightly out of breath with all the squirming he had been doing upon the floor. "She is one of the Zexen Knights of the Zexen boundaries and fell ill suddenly one night. I have tried to be there for her and to heal her, but nothing I find works. Her spirit cannot hold out much longer!"

Touya's icy fingers tapped along the doorway in thought before turning his back upon the wind demon, the blue drapes closing behind him as he departed from the room.

"_**PLEASE**_," Jin hollered from where he was upon the floor, "Help me!" When Touya didn't come back or bother to answer, he released a sigh of agony, lying there upon the floor to pray to the Wind God his clan served.

--

All fell silent about the icy lands that the ice demons ruled upon as the ice storm fell upon the lands, drowning out any sounds that could possibly be made. Touya remained within the kitchen of his home, leaving the wind demon to beg and plead all he wanted until Jin hadn't any strength to continue to do so. The ice demon could only hear the howling of the wind and the rain of the hail from the sky as he sat there tapping his fingers upon a cup he had within his hands filled with cold water.

"That's impossible," he mumbled to himself. "He doesn't even smell of half-demon—how can he possibly be so?" The questions popping up in his mind were irritating him as he knew that nobody would be able to answer them but the wind demon himself. Sighing through his nostrils as he hefted himself out of his chair, Touya headed back into his bedroom in attempts to interrogate the wind beast.

Pulling back the tarp, Touya kept a lit candle next to him to light the house, which had been covered in darkness since the winter storm hit. He found Jin right there where he had left him previously. The wind demon had his face turned slightly to the side with his red hair covering up his weary expression. His hands were still bound and raw from attempting to escape previously only to have them get burned by the seal placed upon them.

Heading over towards the demon, Touya lifted his foot slightly to jab Jin within the back. "Wake up, demon," he ordered impatiently. "I want to speak with you."

Jin grunted from the nudge, blinking his eyes awake. "What do you want?" He moaned inquisitively from where he was lying upon the floor. He didn't bother to make eye contact with the ice demon.

Touya knelt down with the candle close to his face, the flickering flame outlining his features. "Tell me, how exactly does a half demon such as yourself pass himself off as a full blooded one."

Jin cocked his brow in confusion at Touya's question once he managed to look at him. "Pardon?"

"You don't smell like a half blooded demon," Touya explained once more clearly. "Normally any demon with a human parent leaves a wrenched scent in the air."

Sighing, Jin turned to look away from the ice demon with an irritable look upon his face once he closed his eyes. "It's because of the necklace my demonic father gave me. It has a powerful smell of demon that clouds any scent of human upon me." Jin suddenly felt a tug upon his neck, the necklace he was wearing being ripped from his possession. "Hey, what the hell are you doing!"

The band of the necklace being snapped, the ruby looking jewel in the center seemed to swarm with blood red mist inside of it. Without the item being able to hide the human smell upon Jin, the scent became evident within the room. "So, you really are half demon without this necklace to mask who you really are. Your father must have snuck out of the village to commit such a crime against your clan's rules." Touya was no dummy and knew that if any demon clan member had either a same sex relationship or a relationship with a human, they were damned from ever returning to their home.

"It doesn't matter about that!" Jin growled with his blue eyes narrowed angrily. "My human mother is sick, and I need that rune!"

Touya didn't answer Jin's pleas this time. He merely stood there.

"If you won't let me have it—at least release me so I can see my mother," Jin replied between the two of them. He resisted the urge to sound vulnerable, but he knew he had no chance if he didn't at least beg. "Please," he said softly, gazing up from behind his red, messy bangs. "I cannot allow her to slip away without me being there…"

Touya knew he was being sincere, but he wasn't sure what to do when he had promised the elders of his clan that he would watch over the intruder without problems. He couldn't deny that he felt a sense of pity for the wind demon. Releasing a sigh through his nostrils, Touya grabbed onto Jin, hefting him up to his feet by pulling him upwards under his arms. "Fine, I will take you to your mother, but you better not try anything fishy, or I will not hesitate to execute you myself," Touya threatened, pointing at the wind demon.

Standing upon his feet, Jin nodded at the ice demon vigorously. "I am not going to try anything. I just need to see my mother."

--

The blizzard continued throughout the ice demon lands until melting into a regular thunderstorm upon entering the lands belonging to the humans. The cold rain drenched them both, but it bothered the ice demon very little as the True Water Rune kept him well as did his demonic bloodline. Jin appeared to be just fine as well as he walked cautiously behind Touya as they made it to the cobblestone walls of the Zexen capital.

Looking over his shoulder, Touya said, "Lead the way, wind demon. I do not know where your human mother lives."

He said it with such distaste that it slightly insulted Jin as he stepped before the ice demon with his hands remaining bound behind him. "There are human guards everywhere in this place. You are going to need to hold onto me as I fly over the wall, so we don't get caught. You are going to have to also remove the negative charm on my hands. I cannot use my wind powers if you're restricting my power."

Touya hesitated in doing such a thing. "How will I know this isn't your chance to try something clever?"

"Well, then, you're just going to have to trust that I won't do anything. Besides, where could I possibly go if not my clan home?" Jin asked as he moved his bound hands a bit as if to tease Touya to release him. "Just unbind my hands until we get back to your homeland."

The ice demon rolled his eyes as he headed over to Jin to work on removing the charm, which burned his hand slightly in the process when he accidentally touched it. He hissed in pain until managing to keep it away from himself by moving his injured fingers to the thick rope, which was used to keep the exorcism charm upon Jin's fingers and to keep his hands bound behind his back. "Alright, let's get going."

Jin pointed behind his back. "Get on and I'll get us over."

Touya wrapped his arms about Jin's neck, scoffing slightly at having to be so close to his captive.

Gathering the wind around him, Jin hefted himself up into the air quickly to make it over the Zexen walls, which were to keep demons and other intruders out.

The city was filled with small houses and shopping areas all about the stone streets. The knights of the city could be heard walking about the roads at night as their armor clanked with every movement they made. It slightly irritated and put the demons on edge knowing that anything with such armor was normally trouble to demons as they would slay what they deemed evil.

Spying the one house, which was slightly different from the rest, with a lot of flowers and well watered greenery about the building, Jin managed to smile slightly at the sight as he slowly descended towards the door. His feet touching the wet cobblestone walkway, he made his way towards the door quickly. "This is it," he muttered between the two of them as he slowly opened the door.

Touya had released Jin's neck once they had landed, catching himself upon his own feet to look about the home that stood out from the rest. "This place reeks of humans," he mumbled, shaking his head slightly as if to try and get rid of the scent.

"It is going to," Jin said with a heavy sigh. "It is a town full of them." He raised his finger to his lips. "Now, be quiet or the guards might hear you."

The door squeaked open once Jin opened it slowly to make his way into the dark hallway set before him. Once Touya made his way inside after him, he closed the door behind them both before heading towards the stairs at the end of the hallway that was lined with red carpet. His hand grabbing onto the wooden railing of the banister, Jin headed slowly upwards. "Ma?" He called in a whisper at first once he made it to the top floor.

The top floor wasn't filled with many sights. It only consisted of a small hallway with two or so doors—one of them being at the very end with a light shining about the cracks of the doorway. Touya stopped at the beginning of the descending staircase with his hands resting in his pockets. When Jin noticed that the ice demon had stopped, he looked over his shoulder confused.

"I have no intent on seeing this sick, feeble woman," Touya insisted as he remained where he was. "Go and see her yourself."

Jin shook his head with a sigh as he headed for the door at the end of the hallway. He took care in opening the door to make his way inside of the bedroom, which was lit by candles alone all about the small bedroom that appeared to be engulfed in sadness. Jin made it over to the bedside belonging to his human mother, kneeling before it before placing his hand over her warm forehead.

Slightly startled, the young woman shook awake. "Who's there?" She asked in a weary tone, turning around to gaze blindly about the room. White film had covered her eyes due to a roaming demon attacking her on her way to the Brass Castle. The beast had blinded her with a poison being shot into her sight, leaving her sightless since she was twenty—right around the time she was pregnant with Jin.

Jin removed his hand from the woman's forehead, bringing it back to his side. "Ma, it's me," he replied quietly.

"Jin," the ill woman finally replied. As she moved her head to look over at her hybrid son, her wavy, red hair crept over her weary face. "I never thought I would hear from you again…"

Touya couldn't deny the urge to walk down the end of the hallway. He slowly did so and stopped just outside of the doorway. The ice demon stood in the shadows of the corridor, listening and watching behind the slightly cracked door. His cold, narrow eyes pierced through the darkness as he kept his sight upon what was happening within the woman's bedroom.

"I am so sorry, ma," Jin said sorrowfully, "but I was trying to find something to help save you from this illness…" He gripped onto the covers over the bedside in attempts to hold back his tears. "…but I failed miserably…"

The woman, appearing in her early 40s shook her head at Jin as she ran her fingers through Jin's hair once her weary, bony fingers found his face. "No, don't say that, Jin," she insisted softly. "It isn't up to you to find a cure for me. You've done all you can for me as is, my dear, so do not look down upon yourself."

Touya pulled out the True Water Rune that could very well save the woman's life with a serious expression being illuminated by the orbish item's light. He slowly enclosed his fingers about the item before looking back into the bedroom with an ill-tempered sigh. Not remaining in the shadows any longer, Touya made himself known as he opened the door further, stepping into the bedroom with the rune in his palm. "I've heard enough of this—step aside, half-breed."

Hearing the slight irritability in his tone, Jin was hesitant as he stayed before his mother. "What are you going to do?" He wanted to know as he stood there before his mother's bed.

Refusing to answer, the ice demon held the True Water Rune up into the air to cause it to shine with a bright, soft, blue light. The light began to dance about the room, appearing to give Jin's mother the most pain at the moment out of anybody in the room.

Jin heard her cries of pain making him panic before getting furious at the ice demon. "What are you doing to her! Stop it!" He demanded with a growl. When Touya refused to stop, Jin got up and tackled the ice demon to the floor, wrestling with him there upon the floorboards. "Stop it! You're hurting her!"

"Get off!" Touya yelled angrily as he pushed the wind demon off of him, continuing to use the water rune he had been given. "Get off of me unless you want your mother to be _**dead!**_" He stressed with a hiss, pushing Jin away from him to get back to his feet.

Jin, falling upon his backside, sat there and watched in disbelief as the ice demon continued to use the massive healing power of the True Water Rune. It appeared painful for his human mother, but eventually the whimpering and cries of agony coming from her ceased. Getting to his feet quickly, Jin made it over to his mother's bed to check on her to make sure that she hadn't died. "Ma, ma…? Are you okay?" He asked shaking her gently.

The human woman was silent for awhile until finally moving her hand to grab onto Jin's. "I am alright, dear," she said with a smile to him. "I am feeling a little better than before. I am not burning up anymore."

Grabbing tightly onto his mother's hands, he brought her hand close to his chest. "Thank the Gods," he mumbled under his breath, resting his forehead against her knuckles.

Touya pocked his rune within his pants pocket while watching the two act relieved and thankful; he refused to stay behind to watch anymore. Turning on his heels, he headed down the hallway and to the front door alone.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Notes**_: Sorry, I am back on the story again. Lol I had to take a small break for a one-shot and such. P

**Also, be warned that there are a few male/male actions going on within this chapter. Seeing as I dunno what is considered appropriate for this rating or for FF, I chopped off a few things at the end. I don't want people getting all wiggly over it. Uncut version can be found at MediaMiner. XP **

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Touya stepped foot outside of the small human home to gaze up at the stars lining the sky above, trying not to falter under his inner emotions. Sighing, he closed his eyes tightly and snorted through his nostrils to release his frustration. As he was about to just head out of the human city alone, the door opened behind him to have the wind demon come from behind him in a hurry. The muscular arms of Jin wrapping about the short ice demon's torso, throwing Touya for a loop as his eyes widened in surprise.

"Thank you!" He exclaimed softly between the two of them. "Thank you; thank you; thank you so much!"

The embrace getting a bit too tight and too close for Touya's comfort, the ice demon growled and tried to break free. "Get off of me!" The towering Jin releasing him, Touya grumbled as he straightened his shirt out. "You're welcome," he said, though through his teeth as if showing how painful it was to say such a phrase.

Jin looked up at the sky for a moment with a smile resting upon his features. "At least now I can leave knowing that at least she will live on," he said softly, the wind teasing his wild red hair as he watched the stars sparkle in the sky.

Touya grunted with a shake of his head at Jin's words. "Just go back to your wind clan. You got what you wanted."

"What?"

"You are no threat to us anymore," Touya clarified, waving his hand off to the side irritably. "You can go back to your wind demon clan." Heading towards the gate at the end of the cobblestone walkway in front of the house, Touya opened the Iron Gate to let himself out. "I will just handle my Elders on my own terms."

"But will you not get into trouble?" Jin asked as he hurried after Touya.

Huffing aloud, Touya gazed over his shoulder with his brow furrowed in slight anger. "That is my concern, not yours!" He hissed silently between the two of them. "Just stay here and—care for your human mother! It matters not to me…" Without saying another word, Touya disappeared as he increased his speed to head out of the human village.

Jin's hair ruffled at the energy used by the ice demon to race at such an incredible speed as he stood there confused at the heaviness within Touya's words and actions after healing his mother. _What is wrong with him…?_

Touya didn't care to slow down or think on where he was heading as his mind and body were both too overwhelmed with emotions he had hoped were forgotten with the many years he had lived. Closing his eyes tightly, he shook his head as if to get the images and memories out of his mind whilst continuing on his way back to the ice clan.

"He let you go?" Piper asked, interrupting Jin for a moment as she remained positioned upon the whicker stool.

Jin shifted slightly from where he was lying, nodding at the young Chisha woman. "But I wasn't stupid," he said with a heavy sigh. "I knew that Touya would be punished for what he had done. He was ordered by his clan Elders to watch over an intruder and such an act was considered traitorous."

One of the ice Elder's fists hit the wooden table before him as he rose up from where he was sitting about the fire inside of the main meeting building. "What do you mean you let him go!" One of the younger looking Elders of the clan asked angrily.

"He is not a concern to us anymore, Elder Sal'kra," Touya said sternly, remaining there before the Elders of his clan to be judged by them, his hands behind his back. "I gave him what he came for, and it was not our Goddess' crystal."

"It does not matter!" Sal'kra continued, glaring at the young ice warrior. "You swore to this clan that you would watch him—even under the very Lady you did!"

Touya turned angrily towards the inexperienced and brash Elder of the clan. "I protected our clan! What more do you want from me!" He demanded to know.

The oldest of the Elders raised his hand slowly to silence everyone. "Be silent, the both of you," he demanded, turning back towards Touya with his hands folded within his lap. "Young warrior, you know I cannot let this act go unpunished. You promised us that you would protect this land ever since you picked up your first sword in the Goddess' name." Here, the Elder got to his feet, letting the beads decorating his hair to click together as did the anklets once he moved his feet. "I am sorry, but you disobeyed your Lady, your Elders, and in that sense, turned your back on the safety of your clan."

Holding his tongue on the matter, Touya looked off to the side still angry at the judgmental Elders. A hand touching his shoulder prompted Touya to turn and gaze up at the Elder only to have an exorcism charm placed against his forehead. His eyes widen, the demon released a cry of agony at the charm burning his skin and draining what energy he had. Once it was pulled away, he collapsed upon the snowy ground, unable to move.

"Take him away!" Sal'kra was quick to say to the guards. "Punish him for what jeopardy he has put our people within!"

The guards bent down to grab the ice warrior up underneath his arms to pull him off towards a different building where Touya would be punished for his crime against the village.

--

After watching over his mother till she fell asleep, Jin used the trees to catch up with the ice demon, Touya, who had spared his life. He had placed back on his black, assassin attire to blend better into the darkness, which was casted over the land still. He remained quiet within the trees overlooking Touya's home, waiting for the demon to make his appearance as Jin couldn't feel Touya's energy within the building belonging to him. _Where is he? _He asked himself. The sound of snow crunching not too far away caused Jin to stiffen up and lean further into the tree's trunk watching as Touya wearily made his way back to his home—he slightly staggering as he did so.

Touya pushed the flap to his front door open before collapsing upon the chilly floor, burn marks all over his body with some bleeding.

The window opening slowly, Jin flipped through to hurry over towards the drained Touya, who lie motionless on the floor of his own bedroom. Kneeling down upon the floor, Jin began to shake the beaten and battered ice demon. "Hey-Touya, wake up!" When Touya was unresponsive, Jin used the back of his hand to whack the demon across the face in a harsh attempt to wake him.

Mumbling, his eyes squinted a bit while closed before Touya managed to open them slowly to the blurring surroundings. His narrow eyes falling upon the wind demon he had let go, he frowned as he pulled away from the creature's arms. "What-what are you doing here, you fool!" He asked in a high whisper. "If you're caught, you're going to get us both in trouble!"

Jin pulled down the cloth resting upon the slope of his nose, so he could be heard better. "What happened to you?" He asked, reaching for Touya only to have the young demon pull back irritably. "Did they burn you with exorcism charms?"

Touya looked the other way as if wishing to not explain it further. His eyes shifted back to the curious Jin with a heavy sigh. "Some of the burns are. Most of it is hot, scalding water."

Jin couldn't help but hiss in pain at the thought of the hot water touching an ice demon's skin. Any such water would burn a human badly, but an ice demon found it to be hot as fire's flames biting at the pallid skin. When Touya struggled to get to his feet, Jin tried to grab onto his wrists to help him stand. "Here, let me help—."

"I am fine!" Touya insisted angrily though he couldn't help but cry in pain when he moved. "Dammit, this hurts too much!"

"Where is your True Water Rune?" Jin asked, looking about the room.

Touya dug into his pants pocket to pull out the rune. His fingers were so badly burned he couldn't hold onto it well, causing it to roll out of his palm when he lost his grip upon it. "Guh…!"

Jin was quick to grab onto the circular rune to use its powers upon the suffering ice demon. The blue light of the rune filling the house, its powers tried to heal the wounds upon Touya only to cause extreme agony for him when Jin tried to heal them all.

"Stop, that's enough-**STOP**!" Touya demanded through his screams. With the True Water Rune put away, he panted heavily trying to push the pain he was feeling aside. "These-the exorcism charm burns are curses and the rune cannot heal those no matter how much power you use!"

Blinking, Jin showed his confusion as he eyed the rune in his hands.

"Gimmie that back!" The ice demon growled. "You may be able to use a rune's power, but you do not know how this True Rune works!" With it soon placed into his possession once more, Touya clutched his hand tightly about it to pull to his side furiously. "What rune do you use anyways?"

"The True Wind Rune," Jin answered, pulling out his rune to show the ice clan demon. "It is more in tune with destruction and protection of allies than healing. It does minor healing, but that is all. It is not as powerful as your Rune's healing powers."

"Regardless," Touya grunted as he attempted to get to his feet once more, "these burn marks from the holy charms are not going to be healed by a simple rune, no matter how powerful it is. I will just have to make do with them…!"

Jin hurried back over to Touya's side to help him at least stand. "You need to get some rest is what you need to do."

"Why are you still here?" Touya asked, hissing at the pain, which crept through his body. "I spared your life, now get out of here and be with your human mother!"

Huffing at Touya's remark, Jin continued to help the demon to his feet regardless. "You helped me when it wasn't in your line of duty to do so, so now I am helping you regardless of what attitude you throw at me. I am indebted to you!" Jin was aware how the ice demons were. They were the most uptight and stern demons within the lands. He helped Touya over towards the ice demon's bed so Jin could lie him down upon the furs. "I will see what I can do about the burns. Even if they are curses, there is a way to lessen the pain."

"How would you know such things?" Touya asked grumpily.

"My mother is an herbalist, and I recall a few things from her works," Jin answered simply, placing his finger near his mouth to think a moment on the herbs he would need. "I'll be right back." Quickly Jin headed out through the window to make it into the snowy woodlands to hunt for the herbs he recalled were used to heal burns.

It would be awhile later when Jin finally returned with the fireweed, lavender and rose blossom he knew he would need to heal the ice demon's injuries. Once he had returned, however, Touya appeared to be in worse condition than before as he was sweating and panting heavily. Jin nearly dropped the items in his hands as he made it over to the demon's bedside. He began to shake Touya gently at first before adding more force.

"Touya-Touya, are you okay?" Jin asked aloud, eventually noticing that Touya's eyes were closed. "He's asleep? Wake up! Wake up, Touya!"

Hearing his name being shouted over and over again caused the ice demon to open his eyes quickly before flying upright in his bed with beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. "What-what is it?" He asked, placing his hand upon his forehead. "What happened?"

Jin furrowed his brow in slight worry. "You tell me. I came in here and it looked like you were in extreme pain. I thought the burn marks had gotten worse." Not wanting to take any chances, Jin kept the herbs close to himself as he made his way into the kitchen. "Do you have a bowl I can grind these up within?"

Touya pointed slightly towards the kitchen. "In the lower drawer to the right there should be a bowl and something you can use to crush them with. I used it on occasion for making crystal powder." With Jin soon gone into the kitchen to fix the herbal mix, Touya brought his knees slowly towards his chest to think back on the awful dream he was experiencing. Cupping the side of his head into the palm of his hand, his eyes shifted from side to side as he kept dwelling on the brutal, bloody images racing through his mind. Touya hid his face within his hands in attempts to prevent himself from crying, not wishing to show any kind of weakness.

Jin wasn't above leaving Touya alone within the bedroom. Once he found the bowl and the utensil to crush them with, he made his way into the doorway connecting the two rooms. He noticed the ice demon hunched over with his head in his hands. "Is something wrong?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

Embarrassed at being caught, Touya grumbled once more, shaking his head. "Don't bother me, and just make the stupid concoction you are working on!"

Sighing through his nostrils, Jin looked up at the ceiling, shaking his head at the ice demon's reaction. "Why is it so hard for you to show any bit of emotion other than anger?"

Touya merely looked over his shoulder at the moment with a raise of his brow.

"Every since I have been with you, you've been constantly negative. It's like it would kill you to show some compassion or express praise every once in awhile," Jin went on to explain. "Even demons know when to cut loose and show happiness every now and then. Why can't you?"

The ice demon remained silent for a moment, continuing to eye Jin from over his shoulder. "At a young age I lost my will to be happy," said Touya finally, turning back around to look down at the end of his bed. At that moment, he recalled standing there in the darkness only lit by flames, crimson blood spilling forth to splatter upon his face and chest when he was only five and in a human body. "I haven't experienced anything such as that for several, hundred years." Jin couldn't see it, but Touya's eyes were shining from the tears threatening to break through. "And that is why I am bitter, angry….and jealous because everybody else is lucky to have somebody to run to during their hardest times!"

The voice of Touya was beginning to break, revealing the cracks of weakness within his reasons for being so angry. Jin put down the bowl in his hands upon the nightstand nearby as he made his way over towards the now trembling Touya. "Touya…" He could only think to say.

"It's not fair how some of us get divided up in this life and the after," Touya continued, his eyes now brimmed with tears, which threatened to creep down his face. "It wasn't right! What did I do wrong that caused it to happen…!"

The floorboards creaked underneath Jin's bare feet as he made his way over to the upset Touya. His hands came from behind the troubled warrior to embrace him from behind. "I am sorry," he whispered to Touya, who was trying to keep himself from breaking down into tears he had held back for so many years. Jin rested his chin upon the left shoulder of the ice apparition, lidding his eyes, which grew heavy in sorrow.

Nobody was sure what caused it. Maybe it was the fact Touya was finally in an embrace not cold and bitter to the core like all the others he had encountered in his village. But, regardless, he finally unleashed the overwhelming emotions that had been caged inside of him. His cries echoing throughout his home, sounding like a painful wailing—as if he were being tortured from the depths of his very soul.

--

Once Touya had managed to settle, Jin went back to attending to the herbs he had crushed up. Burning them into liquid form, he applied them to the bandages he found within Touya's bedroom before wrapping up the damaged demon's pallid skin. Jin was sitting behind Touya, working on Touya's back. The pain was minor and only got bad from time to time depending on the pressure used upon the wound. His hands were gripping onto the covers slightly as he allowed Jin to work away at his injured back, lined with curse marks.

"I was only five when I experienced the reckless behavior of man," Touya explained almost randomly as he waited for Jin to finish with his back. "I was human then and had a beating heart—before my soul had been taken to hell and twisted into that of a demon. A war was unleashed upon the village I lived in with my mother. I was cornered by the iron barbarians at that very city your mother lives within. It was my mother and other women of the village who tried to get the guards to spare my life. They refused and tore through them ruthlessly in attempts to get to me."

Recalling the guards slicing the women in half with their swords made Touya's anger rise more so than sorrow. His mother was the last to fall to the ground, her blood soaking the ground as she struggled to tell her son to run. Touya at the time and age was too overwhelmed by emotions to be able to move at the sight before him. His sadness turning into uncontrollable anger, Touya hurried towards the iron men without much of a plan or a weapon.

The iron gauntlet smashed against Touya's face, causing him to break through a bunch of crates residing on his family's farmland in the village. He was knocked unconscious at that moment—unsure that day how or why he was spared by the onslaught of his town.

"It was then I turned my back on mankind," Touya went on to explain, his head lowered as he sighed irritably. "I damned myself to hell then by avenging my mother. As a young boy, I picked up a weapon then, and as a young ice demon, I did the same. When my soul found its way here to this clan, I became an ice warrior—the Elders say my heart and blood were frozen cold when I arrived by the hands of the Goddess. I didn't fear death, and I didn't fear my enemies, no matter how much power they wielded against me alone. If I were to die, so be it! Regardless of how many times I die, I will never see my mother again as her soul was more pure than mine every will be."

"You remained coldhearted," Jin expressed outwardly. "You've damned yourself period from ever seeing her." Not able to see why Touya wouldn't change for the sake of being forgiven, he sighed and shook his head. "Why do you not change your path if you're so desperate to seek another soul?"

Feeling Jin's hand coming towards his wounds again, Touya was quick to grab his wrist. "Do not insult my intelligence, demon; I know I have to change in order to find her again!" Seeing the pain from his frozen touch evident upon the wind demon's face, he unleashed Jin's wrist. "But I have too many sins to repent for." Touya went silent for a moment until finding the courage to look over at the one doctoring his back. "What of you? Why do you not turn your back on slaughtering humans for money and demons when they challenge you?"

Jin shifted his eyes from side to side as if to form the appropriate answer. "Because, this was the life I was born into. I was born into sin as my sinful father's soul formed with a human woman. That is why I wanted her to live as long as she could. I don't want her to die yet…"

"And what if your mother dies?" Touya inquired, looking through his messy, stringy hair. "What then will you do?"

His baby blue eyes looking at Touya, he sighed through his nostrils, his heart heavy at the thought. "Then our pain will be shared," he whispered between the two of them. With Touya keeping his hard, cold gaze upon him, Jin moved his hand hesitantly towards the pallid cheek of the ice demon.

Touya's gaze was unflinching. He didn't bother watching Jin's hand as he kept his eyes locked on Jin's. The fingers of the wind demon touching his cheek, he kept his composure still.

The bitter cold of the ice demon's skin started to burn the tips of his fingers, making him withdraw them slightly. "Your skin—it is so much colder than I recall. A mortal would be frozen to death by just touching it."

"That is why I am used to being solitary all together," Touya said simply. "No other person or demon can handle the feel of my icy skin. It is to some like just standing in the middle of a harsh, frozen hell naked." Jin kept his hand upon Touya's skin, coming closer to the demon's face, being suggestive in his actions. Touya pulled away slightly. "No other being can handle the beating of my cold heart either."

Jin came closer still, lidding his eyes as his breath could be seen in crystallized vapor once colliding with the ice demon's. "Is that a challenge?" His head tilted to the side, he placed his lips upon Touya's—they colder than death itself.

Touya placed his hand upon Jin's chest to push him away firmly, causing Jin to grunt from the sudden push. "If you are indebted to me, then act it," he whispered. His hand quick to harshly grab Jin's crotch made the wind demon flinch and inhale sharply. "I am not interested in this." Keeping his hand where it was, Touya tugged on Jin's elfin ear slightly to bring it closer to his words. "I have no intention of sucking that for you or you to mine. If you are in my debt, then be my shinobi of the wind."

Biting his lower lip, Jin released his heavy breath. Even if the grip was strong and hurtful, he still found it slightly arousing to have his crotch concealed in the palm of another. "O-okay…! Okay, I will, just let go of my crotch, please!"

Doing as the wind demon pleaded, Touya released it.

Piper finished the medicine she had planned on making, heading over to the hung-over demon to sit upon the bedside of the wild creature. She could see he had stopped speaking because his head was pounding. "Here," she whispered softly in the candlelit room. Piper cradled the demon's head while helping him to sit up a little bit. "This should help with you being in such a mess right now."

Jin moaned in misery as he was helped upward slightly in the bed. "Are you sure this is going to work?" He inquired, his eyes lidded as the candlelight in the room only made his head hurt worse.

"It is guaranteed from several generations of my family," Piper assured, bringing the cup closer to his mouth. "Here you go." The rim of the cup pressing against the demon's mouth gently, she was able to pour the liquid into the sick Jin's mouth.

Drinking what he could, he pulled back for a moment once the aftertaste hit him. "Ugh, guh! It starts to taste gross after awhile!" He complained, coughing into his left shoulder.

"Don't worry, it starts to taste that way when it's working," Piper explained, helping him back down towards the pillow. "So, you became his slave?"

"More or less, I became his own personal, private bodyguard," Jin explained. "It was the least I could have done for him saving my mother…"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Notes**_: I am thinking that I can wrap this story up if I focus my energy upon it. 8P So if you see multiple chapters of this story, it's because I am trying to wrap it up. x3

There was a sex scene in this chapter, but I had to chop it out. Not only will it be horribly butchered it may also be a little short. Groping and sexual talk will be read within it, so be warned of that.

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An intruding demon's body within the frozen borders of the ice demon clan met harshly with the ground several feet away from his attacker. Touya stood there in his black garb, which covered his entire body except his eyes. The black looking hooded robe blew against the wind as he remained unflinching against his foe. "Go back to where you came," Touya muttered in his heartless tone under the fabric covering his mouth. "If you refuse to do so, I will be forced to kill you without remorse."

The demon appeared frightened enough but could only express a wicked smile soon enough at Touya's threat. "You should really be careful…threatening a demolition demon!"

As soon as Touya heard the type of demon he was against, he gasped seeing the creature outstretch his hand to force his demonic energy into an explosive blast, which surrounded the unsuspecting ice demon. The multiple explosions consumed Touya as well as the dust that it caused upon being ignited. Figuring he had his target decimated, the intruder lowered his hand while laughing loudly at how easily the tables had turned.

"How weak was their clan's highest class warrior," he chuckled as he got to his feet. "If all of them are as weak and reckless as you, I may actually get what I have come for!" Suddenly the wind in the air began to change promptly causing the demon to halt in his laughter. The dust, which had accumulated thanks to his powerful explosions, began to swirl in the form of a tornado before completely vanishing under the influence of the wind master who now stood before the ice warrior. "The hell…!"

Touya appeared unharmed as he stood behind the towering redhead. Jin was wearing the same outfit as his 'master' though his red bangs could be seen flowing over his blue eyes. The wind demon was glaring angrily down upon the demolition demon with his fists clutched at his sides before pulling out his weapons of choice, the ninjaken.

"You sure took your time, wind demon," Touya complained from behind Jin.

"I am sorry, I thought you were actually going to accomplish this without my help," the wind demon lightly chuckled back with a shake of his head.

"A wind demon helping an ice demon!" The intruder panicked as he backed up with fear creeping throughout his body at a slow and painful pace. "That is not possible! The clans never help one another!"

"Heh," Touya chortled coldly, "I guess you could say I am an excellent negotiator." The cold, narrow eyes of the ice demon gazed up at his slave. "Jin, kill him."

Jin's smirk couldn't be seen behind the fabric, concealing his physical identity as he disappeared before the low class demon's very eyes.

The green skinned impish looking demon quickly looked about the darkened area, wondering where the other assassin went to at such speed. Shifting his sight from left to right he froze upon feeling the cold metal of the ninjaken against the right of his neck. His heart quickened in beat, knowing the wind demon was standing behind him now.

The deep blue eyes of the ninja narrowed at the impish demon, showing no remorse or pity within them. "Die," Jin said simply pulling the sharp blade quickly to the left to remove the head of the beast, the blood splattering upon the soil once the explosion-energy demon's head hit the ground.

"A demolition demon," Touya began, gazing down at the killed beast. "Even for low class, they can be quite dangerous in that they can use their energies to create explosions anywhere in the air. I haven't fought one of them forever. Never did I imagine one would show up now."

Jin's reflection glistened in reddish tints as he gazed down upon the blooded blade of his weapon. "That was quite reckless of you to go in without knowing who you were up against." He pulled out the white cloth Jin used to clean his weapons from time to time, wiping the blade clean of the tainted blood dripping from it. Jin swung the sword to the side before sheathing it once more. "Don't you think before jumping to defend your clan?"

Touya didn't take too kindly to criticism in general, and he wasn't going to start accepting it now from a demon he considered his slave. He wouldn't have to say anything. He knew that his expression would be enough to set Jin straight as he gazed up at the demon long and hard.

Jin groaned, looking up at the sky with a sigh escaping through his nostrils. "Okay, okay, no need to get all angry." He overlapped his arms behind his fiery red hair, closing his eyes to avoid anymore harsh looks from Touya. "I am just saying that you need to be careful if you plan on staying alive for your people."

Touya was silent for a moment, continuing to look up at Jin before shifting his sights to straight ahead at nothing unparticular. "I don't stay alive for them," he said coldly, turning around to face the opposite direction. "I don't stay alive for anybody." The dry leaves began to crunch underneath his bare feet as he made his way slowly back towards his clan.

His elfin ears catching the harsh words of the ice demon, Jin quickly turned around to watch as Touya was heading back down the dirt path lined with colored leaves of fall. "E-Eh…!" He couldn't find any sense in the way Touya lived, leaving him befuddled.

"For all I care, I could fall in battle and the clan could be decimated," Touya expressed, stopping in his tracks for a moment. "Nearly a thousand years have I lived in this form, and I have grown weary of protecting people I care nothing about." Here he couldn't help but look up at the starry sky as well. "But a part of me won't let me do it, and my body won't find the warrior who has the title worthy of even slaying me." Touya closed his eyes and chuckled briefly to himself as he thought about it. "Why should I give some low class warrior the honor of killing me? No, that is not the way I want to go. If I have to die, then let it be a worth remembering death."

Jin growled slightly. "So that is all you care about, yourself? The very clan that brought you into their world you care nothing about!" The wind demon bared his teeth a little as he pointed at Touya from where he stood behind the ice warrior. "All you care about is how you'll die and when you'll die! That is selfish, even for an ice demon!"

Touya quickly looked over his shoulder at Jin with his eyes showing frustration and angry with the out lashing wind demon. The temperature about the area began to drop to show his anger in Jin's words. "I don't recall asking for your opinion, mutt!"

"If all you're going to do is be reckless with your life, why am I even here protecting you! Why? Tell me that!" Jin demanded to know, finding his time spent already to be pointless.

It took awhile for Touya to respond as he turned to gaze at the road ahead of him once more. "Maybe because a small part of me still wants to live in this hell," he said only between the two of them. "And maybe a part of me is feeling…" Touya paused and refused to continue as he started onwards down the road before them.

Jin shook his head and shrugged before falling behind Touya a few feet behind him back towards his ice clan.

Touya would enter through the snowy borders alone, trekking through the snowy fields to make it towards his house. He eyed some of the citizens within the clan while recalling what he openly confessed to Jin. His attitude didn't change even seeing the smaller demon children out and about. Moving the entrance flap made of animal hide out of his way, Touya made his way into his bedroom. He removed what other weapons he used in fights aside from his ice powers before sitting upon his bed with a heavy sigh.

The window within his bedroom suddenly opened, allowing way for the chilly breeze into his bedchambers. Jin quickly jumped into the room before bothering to close the window behind him. "Are you alright from that attack earlier? I wasn't sure if I made it in time when that demon attacked," the wind demon wondered as he headed over towards the brooding Touya.

"I am fine," he said simply, gazing off at the opposite wall. "Your barrier came up in time."

Jin stood there looking about the room with his hands upon his hips. "Hmmm, is there anything else you'd like for me to do? It's nearing ten."

Touya grumbled at having to be retold the coming hour. "I am well aware what time it is." His right eye caught the mischievous wind beast out of the corner of his eye. "You are indebted to me and so you shall remain until I say otherwise. What time it is matters little to me and should to you as well." Touya placed his hands upon his thighs to push himself up. "I will say when you shall go and how long you stay."

The redhead moaned in misery only to show why as his stomach soon began to growl. He wrapped his arms about it to try and cease the talking of it. "But I am starving. Can't we at least eat something?"

"For a mercenary you sure do whine a lot like a child." Touya made his way back towards the front door. "I am going to see the Elders of the clan." He looked over his shoulder at Jin as his fingers gripped onto the animal hide protecting his door like lengthy curtains of fur. "If you want something to eat, you make it for us both. If I don't eat, you don't eat, got it?"

_If that's the case, I'll starve_, Jin thought as his eyes shifted towards the ceiling for a moment. "Alright, I'll make something for us both then. What is it you like to eat exactly?"

"I am a fish vegetarian, so I only eat fish for meat, nothing else," Touya answered. "It better be ready by the time I return." The ice demon finally left, lowering the entrance flap of his house to leave Jin alone. He trusted the demon enough up to this point not to cause a scene around his people.

Jin looked up at the ceiling for a moment, frowning with a sigh unleashed through his nostrils. "I guess I have a picky eater on my hands." Pulling his hood back over his head, Jin left through the window to gather the food he would need to prepare. "I am sure I can get it ready in time before he gets back," he said to himself as he used the tree limbs to get to his destination, the limbs creaking only slightly as he stepped cautiously on them before hopping to the next.

The ice warrior made his way to the elders of the clan, allowing himself inside of their house once he moved the tarp out of his way. The icy fire flickered almost violently upon his entrance, causing the elders to look over at the demon. "The task is finished," Touya said simply, placing his hands upon his hips. "I destroyed that foolhardy demon, and he should not bother us again."

"It was only one demon?" The eldest of the ice demon elders wondered, his eyes so weary with age, they seemed to be shut. "I see," he seemed to mutter to himself as he turned his head slightly. "You did this task alone, did you not?"

Touya knew that the elder saw something within his mediation that could possibly put him on the stand. "I had a lesser demon help me, Elder Ambar. I had him watch my back, and he pulled through unexpectedly," he answered vaguely, neither flinching nor sweating in nervousness knowing either or would cause further question.

"You have this demon helping you?" The main elder said softly in shock more so than anything. "I am quite intrigued, young one." Ambar moved his hand over the fire before pulling out the small leather pouch he often kept his powder within, dealing with beckoning the fire fays out of the embers to create images within the blue flame.

The blue fire rose up violently upon the powder being engulfed into its raging flames. Ambar moved his hand above the blue smoke rising up from the crackling blaze, causing a circular smoke to form, creating the image of the masked demon Touya had at his aid. Touya stood there and prayed that none of the elders would recognize the demon behind the cloth, knowing he would be victimized for not giving the demon back to be tried and persecuted for his crimes against the Ice Clan.

"We should all learn from you then," Ambar remarked as he watched the disguised demon attack and guard Touya from battles previous. "This may be a lesser demon to you, but his strength is rather close to yours. I can only wonder what you have over his head to make him work as he does without complaint."

It was more of a wonder than a question, so Touya didn't say anything about it as he remained there watching the images dance above the flame before dissipating. "He has proven useful to me. Until I have no more use of him, I will be rid of his worthless hide."

Sal'kra watched and listened to Touya's words closely, he narrowing his eyes irritably at the arrogant demon he held in little regard. "Funny how you can keep one demon under your nose, yet you cannot keep a wind demon from escaping your grasp."

Touya looked angrily over at the elder, wishing he could strike down the man, but Touya knew he couldn't. He was below class of ever being allowed to do so. "I was right in assuming the wind demon would never come back to attack, right? Does that still bother you?"

Sensing Sal'kra's anger, Ambar was quick to intervene before another word could be spared between the two. "Enough you two," he demanded in a low tone. "Touya, I advise you to be careful. I have spoken to the Goddess, and She foresees something dark with this demon. Choose your path wisely."

The ice warrior was confused as he took in the elder's advice. Touya didn't understand as he stood there trying to decipher the cryptic words Ambar bestowed upon him. When he couldn't, he shook his head with a grunt. "Am I finished here?"

Ambar pointed towards the exit, lowering his head. "You may go. Just be cautious," he repeatedly warned once more.

Sal'kra watched as Touya left the building, he leaning back slightly as he rubbed his index finger against his thumb in thought. He was thinking on what to do when it came to the ice warrior he abhorred so much as a sly grin happened upon his face.

The animal fur acting as Touya's door flew open in anger and frustration as the ice demon stood there with his fist clutched tightly at his side with his teeth bared in annoyance. "If I could, I would rip that bastard's head off!" He mostly cursed to himself as he made his way to his bed to sit down for a moment. His legs slightly apart, Touya rested his forearms upon his thighs as he lowered his head in disappointment.

To the right of Touya, Jin was there unknowingly to the ice demon, hanging upside-down with his legs crossed. Lowering himself a little bit, the elfin ears of the wind demon twitched as he looked closely at Touya who appeared lock in thought. "Rip whose head off?" Jin asked curiously, his hair and bangs hanging loosely in the air as he remained upside-down.

Seeing as Touya hadn't heard Jin move or felt the wind demon's powers, he jumped from surprise before falling over upon the bed. "Dammit, Jin! You scared the shit out of me!" Touya growled as he had his hand upon his rapidly beating demonic heart.

Jin moved himself right side up at this point before plopping down upon the bed, laughing at Touya's reaction. "I am sorry. I guess you were so caught up in your thoughts, you didn't sense me."

Touya sighed, rolling his eyes before placing his chin within the palm of his hand as he sat there brooding. "Gah, let's just eat. Did you finish cooking?"

Chuckling softly against the palm of his hand, Jin shook his index finger while winking. "I am almost. If you don't mind waiting for me to finish, I can finish the dinner for the both of us. That is unless you want me to starve."

The ice demon could care less at this point as he shifted his gaze to straight ahead after eyeing the wind demon. "I don't care. Finish what you want. I am not in the mood to fight right now."

Jin pushed himself up off of the bed to make his way back into the kitchen. "Just hang in there. I will be finished in just a moment."

Eventually the meal was finally prepared allowing Touya to sit and eat the fish salad Jin had made for him with vegetables. The plate placed before him, he could hardly find the stomach to eat what was before him until taking in a deep breath and then releasing it. Touya picked up his fork and knife to start cutting away at his salad.

Pulling the wooden chair back, Jin sat down upon the wicker furniture. He caught the long sigh from Touya once he sat down to enjoy himself. "You are still bothered, aren't you?" Jin inquired as he started to eat the roosted bird upon his plate.

"Just eat your food and don't bother me," Touya insisted with a venomous hiss.

Jin knew if he continued to say anything Touya would eventually lose it. However, he couldn't deny it would be difficult to eat in just silence. "So, aside from being an ice assassin, what else is it that you do?"

Touya gradually looked up at Jin with a cock of his brow. "Is there a point to this conversation?"

The wind demon shrugged with a slight chortle tickling the back of his throat. "I just want to get to know you better. If I am going to be protecting somebody, I might as well get to know them, aye?"

"Humph, all you need to know is my name and the position I have over you." Touya wasn't interested in getting to know his protector any better than he already had. A part of him was regretting ever having him in his debt. "Anything else is pointless to learn about me." Finishing part of his salad, Touya got up out of the chair after wiping his mouth to make his way over to the curious wind demon. He stood next to Jin, grabbing onto his chin to force him to look up into his eyes. "Unless you manage to conquer me as a warrior, you'll never know what you want about me."

His warrior spirit took that as a challenge. Jin looked over his shoulder and watched as Touya headed towards his bedroom once more. He quickly ate the last piece of the bird he had on his plate before trailing behind Touya. Closely he watched as the ice demon stayed focus upon lighting the fire for the night before bothering to come closer. His arms making from behind the unsuspecting ice demon, Jin brought Touya close to his chest. "Alright then," Jin whispered in the warrior's ear, "I am game."

Touya growled angrily as he was forcibly pulled from starting the fire. "If you don't get off of me, demon, you'll regret it!"

Jin ignored Touya's threats as he tried to pin the resisting ice beast to his own bed by grabbing his wrists and placing them above his head. He smiled down at the resisting Touya with a light chuckle in his throat. "If I am going to conquer you, I cannot get off of you."

"If that's how you want it…!" Concentrating on his shinobi powers of ice, Touya began to envelope Jin's hands, which were restraining his wrists, within his ice slowly.

"Urk!" The ice creeping over Jin's hand made him panic slightly as well as chatter his teeth at feeling the cold slowly over take his wrist soon enough_. Not good…!_ He thought to himself before finally finding a solution. Quickly Jin moved his free hand down to Touya's crotch, cupping it with his hand to massage what was concealed within the fabric.

Touya's eyes widened at the feel of what Jin was doing. Closing his eyes, he turned his head to the side and moaned softly at having a foreign feeling rush his icy form. He had never been aroused before. It was a brand new feeling for him as he curled his toes in growing ecstasy. Touya pulled back his ice powers as he was falling into submission. When the feeling soon stopped, he turned to look hostilely at Jin through his flushed expression. "Guh…you bastard…!" He grumbled, flexing his fingers.

Jin smiled widely as he chuckled at Touya's predicament. "When I am finished here, I expect you to open your mouth for once to tell me what I want to know about you." Carefully removing his hand from Touya's crotch, Jin moved it up to his black sash, tied about his waist. His fingers gripped tightly onto the fabric before pulling it harshly away, causing the strands to tear apart once he released a forceful pull upon it.

Closing his eyes upon the breaking of his sash, Touya looked down at Jin through his sexual haze, growling at being over powered in such a fashion. He couldn't help but force a wicked laugh through his clenched teeth. "If that's how you wish to conquer me…it has been awhile since I've had to fight this way." Touya moved his foot to start rubbing against Jin's crotch in return.

Feeling the ice ninja's toes carefully touching him, Jin's eyes widened as he began to sweat slightly at being touched once more in a way he had longed for.

Touya watched Jin's expression becoming hysterically worried and panic-stricken. "Heh, you think I wouldn't remember you getting so easily excited last time I grabbed you?" Seeing as he was so used to using his toes as extra fingers when using the trees to stealth within, Touya easily wrapped them about Jin's concealed length to squeeze gently. "How about we make a wager? Whoever orgasms first is the loser. If you win, I will tell you what you want to know, and you will regain your freedom. If I win, I keep you as my bodyguard, and you won't bother me about my past ever again. Deal?"

Jin at that moment used what strength and will power he had to fight against his growing excitement. "D-Deal!"

--

The cry and release of Touya caused Jin to release as well deep inside of the ice shinobi. His body trembled as he finished, collapsing down upon Touya while panting heavily. "You-you lose…! You orgasmed before me…!" Jin managed to get out. He moved his other hand upwards to rest his fingers in Touya's bi-colored hair, rubbing it gently as if to try and sooth him. "You have to tell me now what I want to know about you…!"

Feeling the hand caressing his hair, Touya could only get irritable though he said and did nothing about it as a part of him founding it soothing. "What-what do you want to know?"

Jin could tell Touya was exhausted. He continued to run his fingers through Touya's hair with a brief smile. "Just rest for now. I am sure we could both use it."

Touya couldn't agree more as he closed his eyes and turned his head to the side. He was exhausted from trying to fight sexually with the wind demon. It took little time for him to fall into a deep slumber beneath the warmth of Jin.

Back within Chisha Village Jin could only find himself threatening to go to sleep as well thinking about slumber from recalling the past. Piper could see he was getting tired once more from telling so many past memories. The Chisha woman placed her hand upon the weary demon's head. "You are getting tired. Maybe you should go to sleep. You can finish explaining in the morning."

"Touya…," He practically mumbled before shooting his eyes opened. "T-Touya, I want to see how Touya is…!"

"Shhh," Piper whispered as she brought the covers about the demon, tucking him in for the coming hours he would need for sleep. "I will check on him while you sleep. You really could use the hours, Jin."

Jin attempted to settle as he had to admit that he was quite tired given everything he had gone through. "Please….wake me if anything happened to him," he whispered softly as he closed his eyes to go to sleep. "I don't…I don't want anything to happen…to him…"

Piper waited until Jin appeared asleep before leaning over to kiss him upon the forehead. "I know, Jin; I know." Pushing herself up from the bed the demon was offered, Piper brushed the wrinkles from her dress before turning to head out the door to leave Jin to rest and to check on Touya as he pleaded.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Notes**_: I really need to start reading the Suikoden III mangas I have. It would help with a lot of things. X3

Be warned, male/male kissing and a sex scene was cut from this chapter but it will not make it any shorter. I thank Celine Dion and II DIVO's "I Believe in You" for helping me write this chapter. :3

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Piper hurried down the hallway after making sure Jin was asleep in the bedroom. Her skirt flaring out behind her and her arms rushing wildly from side to side, she made her way to the room she was told the ice demon was being held within. As soon as she turned the corner, her arm was grabbed, and Piper was pulled off to the side. "Ugh, let me go!" She demanded while trying to fight whoever it was that had her.

"Don't go in there!" A young man insisted in a whisper. "That demon is being held in there!"

Breaking her hands away, Piper quickly made it down the hallway leading to the door, which concealed the sickened ice demon. "I don't care! I need to see if he's alright!" The door soon within reach, she reached out to open it quickly before shutting it in the same fashion.

The harsh opening and closing of the door startled the doctor in the room with the ice demon, causing him to look over his shoulder at the winded Chisha woman. "My goodness, young lady, you gave me quite the scare coming in here like that!" He exclaimed softly between the two of them. "Whatever is the matter with you?"

Piper turned her attention to the doctor, peering over her shoulder to gaze at him before leaning against the door attempting to catch her breath. She could see that the doctor was quite young in appearance—probably around his late 20s or early 30s. He had brown hair which was neatly cut except for his bangs up front that grew past his chin and nearly touched his chest. The strands were decorated in beads belonging to a foreign village of some kind. Piper looked into his deep brown eyes before gazing over at the out cold ice demon upon the bed he was sitting before. "Is he okay?" She wondered aloud simply.

The doctor saw she was concerned over the wellbeing of the demon making him sigh slightly as he shifted upon the wicker stool he was upon to look back over the patient. "I have to say that the illness is something I have never really come across before in all of my years of studying," he announced forlornly. "His respiratory system seems to be threatening to shut down." Opening his hand, he began to move it steadily up and down from Touya's forehead down to his chest before going back again. "His spirit is weakening and calling to the Gates of Judgment once more."

The young woman made her way over to the ice demon's bedside to watch as he appeared to struggle to breathe, he rasping every time he inhaled. "I thought demons were immune to most diseases. What sickness could possibly cripple a demon?" Piper wondered, placing her fingers upon her chin in thought.

"I don't know, but I am going to have to study it further." The doctor removed himself from the stool he was upon, standing over the ice demon. "It's going to take everything I have to uncover what this beast has and hopes I can find a cure in time." He placed his hand upon Piper's shoulder for a moment before removing it slowly. "Watch over him for me. I will return."

"I will," said Piper to the young doctor. She watched as the man left the room, leaving her to be alone with the suffering ice demon, who appeared to wince and hitch in breath all of a sudden in unbearable pain. Her heart in such pain itself at having to witness him in such agony, Piper slipped her hand on top of his. She could feel how cold his skin was, making her body run over with a shiver. _His skin is like that of the death of winter._ Regardless of the chill running through her, she guided his hand up to her cheek in hopes of showing him somebody was there for him for the time being.

Touya's fingers flexed slightly against Piper's face as he felt somebody there next to him though was locked into a deep sleep, unable to find his way back for the time being. "Jin…," he expressed in pain. "It is so hot here…! I cannot stand it…!"

Hearing his plea, Piper brought the back of her hand steadily to his forehead to feel that he was indeed sweating from being so hot. She placed his hand gently back down beside the demon. "I will be right back," she insisted softly, hurrying to the kitchen area of the room to grab a bowel to fill with cold water as well as a clean towel. Piper made sure the water was cold enough for an ice demon at the very least before hurrying back beside him to sit once more upon the wicker stool. Dipping the fabric into the cold water, she rang it out before folding it to place upon Touya's forehead, moving his bangs out of his face so his hair wouldn't bother him.

Feeling the cold once more, Touya appeared more relaxed than before. The cold seemed to slowly calm his body and call his spirit back down from the dreaming plain. His face contorting slightly in a brief moment of pain, Touya opened his eyes slowly to the candlelit room he was housed within. "Where…where am I…?" He mumbled incoherently as his sight was still a bit foggy and was trying to readjust as well as his hearing.

"You are at Chisha Village," Piper reminded him. "Do you not remember one of the village maidens bringing you here?"

The young woman's voice almost seemed out of reach to Touya's hearing though he was able to catch some of her words as he managed to focus his sight and then his hearing. "I am…I am at the Grassland village?" Wondered Touya as he looked upwards at the ceiling, finding the candlelight to make him slightly sick if he focused on it.

Piper nodded. "Yes, the wind demon, Jin, demanded you be brought you here."

Jin's name making it to Touya, he widened his eyes and inhaled sharply as he shot up in bed. "Jin! Where is Jin!" He demanded to know, flinching in pain as he tried to grab Piper's shoulders. He embraced his own body, trembling in the overwhelming pain he was still consumed within, looking through his quivering eyes at the startled woman. "Where-is-he...?" Touya asked once more through his clinched teeth, almost sounding furious to Piper.

With him sound so demanding made Piper feel a bit resistant to say anything to begin with. "He-he is in another room sleeping off his drunken state he got in," she explained, folding her hands before her chest as if she were praying. "He got worried about you and drank too much wine. I had to help him with his hangover before promising to come and check on you."

"That idiot," Touya criticized as he placed his head upon his forehead. "He never did watch over himself when taking care of others." His throat burning once more, a cough was forced from Touya's already weakened and worn throat. He coughed within his hands causing blood to splatter upon his palms once more. "Not again…!"

Piper panicked seeing him coughing up blood upon his hands. "By the Spirits…!" She gasped as she took her apron she was wearing previously when making Jin's hangover cure to wipe off Touya's hands. "What evil has gotten a hold of you!"

"I am a demon, am I not?" Touya said simply as he allowed her to take care of his blooded hands. "What evil needs to get a hold of me?"

Hearing him say such a thing, Piper slowed in cleaning his palms for a second. "Well, I know most demons are considered evil and heartless, but I don't sense that from you and your friend." She continued to use the cotton fabric to work between his fingers where some of the crimson blood managed to escape to. "Jin told me a lot already about your first encounter. I know what you did and what you've done, but a part of me keeps telling me that you don't continue to do such things now. And it's not because you're sick but because of something else…"

Touya was silent for a moment, pulling his clean hands back to have them rest upon his lap. "How much did he tell you?" He finally asked between the two of them.

"He told me that he bested you in a sexual game." Piper couldn't help but admit her face turned slightly red at the remembrance of Jin's side of that story. She was so enthralled in it, a part of her felt a little embarrassed that she listened through it all in such attentiveness when it came to such an intimate moment. "You promised him you would tell him more about yourself if he won, and he did."

"Hmm." The demon hummed in thought as he looked down at his lap recalling that time well. "I thought I would be able to beat him as my entire body inside and out was made of ice, but he got me surprisingly. I told Jin what he wanted to know about me the coming morning." Touya could feel Piper's gaze there upon him, but he didn't bother looking at her when he spoke. "I told him the things I found silly that he wanted to know such as my favorite food, what I did in my leisure time, what weapons I preferred to use in battle, and so on. I have to say, I was annoyed by these questions, but I didn't want to admit that a small part of me enjoyed expressing them…and that…I was feeling close to the wind demon…"

Touya recalled the morning where he woke to find Jin still there at his ice clan's village. After he had answered all of the questions Jin found oddly interesting and worth hearing answers to, he sighed inwardly as he turned to the wind demon. "You won your freedom. You may go as I promised."

Jin oddly didn't find the other part of the deal nearly as welcoming as the first. Wrapping his arms about his chest, he used his toe to mess with the carpet fibers beneath him, appearing to fidget slightly. "Well, what if I don't want to leave?"

A bit shocked by that response, Touya could only look at the wind demon oddly.

"I mean, I don't have to be your bodyguard, but I can still hang around here, right?" Jin asked as he used his wind powers to lift himself off of the floor to sit cross-legged in the air. "Even if you were a grumpy nag at times, I still enjoyed your company." The wind demon wasn't afraid to admit his feelings regardless of who he spoke to. It just wasn't in his nature to lie about how he was feeling.

"Is there something you're still after, demon?" Touya wondered, not trusting Jin to an extent. "It's not like wind demons to want to hang around others. They are free spirited beasts. I healed your mother, now get out of here!" With a wave of his hand, he turned around to keep his back to Jin with his arms crossed in irritation.

Jin moved over towards Touya with his wind powers so that he could lean forwards over the ice shinobi's head to look into Touya's eyes from upside down. It startled the ice master as he slightly jumped back. "I am not after anything. I just enjoy your company is all."

"What about your family and friends? What about those in the wind demon tribe?" Touya wondered as he turned the other way to get to the kitchen to make himself something to eat. "Don't you have people you will miss if not being there?"

"I will always miss my mother, but she is just in the Zexen capital," Jin explained as he lowered himself down to the bed covers to sit. "It's not like I can't just fly over there, aye?" His fingers tapped upon his knees for a moment as he thought of what else to say and to do at this point. "I have to say I don't really like the wind demon tribe. They're no fun at all. Most of them are all about rules and fighting against others. I don't like to fight unless I can enjoy it." He looked up at Touya who had stopped at the kitchen door. "I liked fighting with you no matter the circumstances. It was fun to me."

Touya was silent, not wishing to voice his opinions on the matter. His index finger tapped slightly against the marble of the doorway as many thoughts ran through his mind. "Where will you stay? You cannot stay here for my clan will kill you upon sight."

Hearing the ice demon only inquire about where he would stay instead of insulting him made Jin perk up with a wide smile. "I will just go live and take care of my mother in Zexen. I will come at night so it will be less likely for people to see me and to know who I am."

"While it was so tempting to continue acting cold towards him, I could no longer bring myself to do so as frequently," Touya admitted to Piper as he dabbed his sweating face with the cloth she had placed there previously. "Maybe it was all the things he admitted to me, but my heart was starting to thaw from the demonic cold it was born within."

Piper had her fingers overlapping one another as she continued to listen contently about the two demons and their past. "So what happened after that? Jin was no longer under your command, and you allowed him to come and go whenever he pleased."

Touya scratched a small itch embedded in his bi-colored hair with a slight sigh though a smile was evident there within the candlelit room. "He would come and go at night whenever he pleased. Sometimes he would come just to spar with me or to tell me these stories I found pointless about what was going on in Vinay Del Zexay, but I never said anything about them. I truly enjoyed listening to him and it was nice to have company for a change in that lonely house."

The ice master recalled how he started looking forward to nights after awhile as he was in the kitchen whipping up something for dinner for the both of them. "Seeing as he is used to Zexen food, maybe he'll like this pasta stuff," Touya thought to himself as he pulled the top off of the pot he was cooking the pasta noodles in to stir them up. It wasn't long afterwards that he heard the window open. "Jin, is that you?"

"Aye, it's me," Jin answered as he made his way onto Touya's bed for a moment.

Touya felt the tone of his words were heavy with emotion. It wasn't like Jin to come in sounding a bit disturbed. Wiping his hands upon the apron he was wearing, Touya made his way into the bedroom to find Jin there upon his bedcovers looking rather down. "Jin, is something the matter?"

Jin straightened his back and managed a smile to Touya. "It's nothing I want to burden you about."

"Nobody has caught onto you being a half demon, have they?" Touya wondered as he was a bit concerned this round.

It was strange and yet heart warming that Touya was starting to show signs he cared about his wellbeing unlike before. "No," Jin answered honestly with a shake of his head. He got up to his feet, pushing himself up by placing his hands upon his thighs. "So, what's for dinner? I smell something wonderful in there."

The wind demon's fingers messing up his hair as he went past him, Touya didn't mind it as he was more concerned over what was eating at Jin. Turning around on his heels, he followed behind the redhead. He made his way over to the kitchen's stove made of stone with a lit fire to substitute for heating. "I am making pasta that is usually in Zexen towns. I made my way to Iksay Village to get the things I would need. I hope you'll like it."

"Anything you make is always worth eating," Jin said softly with a smile.

Touya smiled with his back turned to Jin as he continued stirring the pasta noodles. His face was flushed with embarrassment at his kind words. "Here, I made some salads and bought onions for you to eat if you like."

Jin accepted the salad and onions to eat as he was quite hungry from the exhausting day. "Thank you, Touya." As he accepted the food, he noticed that there was a blush across the ice demon's face. "Your face is red. Is something the matter?"

Realizing that his blush from earlier was still there, Touya covered his face for a moment with a brief chuckle. "Umm, it's just the oven is all. It makes me a bit flustered as I am not used to heat."

"Hey, that's the first time I heard you laugh before," Jin pointed out with a gentle smile.

"I guess some things tend to wear off of me when it comes to you, Jin," Touya said keeping a sincere smile upon his pallid face. He was about to pull his hand away from the table top only to have Jin grab onto it gently to prevent him from doing so.

Jin kept his hand about Touya's, holding onto it tightly before bringing it up to his lips to kiss of his knuckles. "I am relieved to hear of that, Touya…"

Touya forgot about the pasta for a moment as he wrapped his fingers about Jin's in return, bringing his forehead against the wind demon's. "Are you sure you're okay, Jin?" He inquired once more, feeling Jin's mouth inching towards his. "You don't…you don't seem your-self…!"He inhaled sharply at the kiss to his lower lip that led to Jin deepening the kiss between them.

"I'll be fine," Jin insisted as he pulled from the kiss for a moment to answer him. "Besides, you aren't yourself either, love." He moved the aquatic bangs out of the ice demon's face as he moved his tongue back inside of Touya's mouth to taste of him once more.

Touya accepted the deep kiss once more only to pull away for a moment when he remembered the pasta still burning on the stove. "The food-I need to get it off of the stove or else it will burn…!" He insisted breathlessly.

Jin kept his hand upon Touya's cheek even after he pulled away from him. "Alright, if you must," he chuckled. "And you made me hungry for something else now."

"My trip to Iksay would have been all for nothing if I burn the pasta," Touya felt need to point out as he made his way back to the stone oven to pull the pot from the heated surface. "I made a meat sauce for you to put on top of it if you like."

"What about you? Aren't you a fish eating vegetarian or something like that?" Jin inquired.

"I won't take any sauce on mine." Touya put the sauce on Jin's pasta bowel before mixing the two together. He picked up both plates and made his way over to the dinning room table. "Here you go, Jin. I'll put shrimp on mine and a few spices to give mine more flavors."

Jin pulled his hair back in a hair band to keep it out of his face while he was eating. "Do you like onions? I will give you some of mine if you need it."

"I'll take just a few if you don't mind me doing so," Touya said as he reached across the table to grab an onion to start chopping up for himself. As he was doing so, there came a familiar energy signature reading from just outside his door. "Somebody is here. Hide, Jin!"

Jin could feel the energy mark as well, but couldn't recognize it as Touya could. He knew it was an ice clan member, no doubt, so he was quick to do as he was told while masking his own energy level.

Touya shot to his feet and hurried to his front door, removing the flap of animal hide to find Ambar standing there. "Elder Ambar, what are you doing here?" He asked with a slight bow to the elder.

"I had a disturbing vision, young warrior, and I had to make sure you were alright," Ambar announced, sounding quite shaken as he looked beyond Touya into his bedroom. "May I come in to speak to you about it?"

The ice master was a bit nervous about letting him inside, but he did so regardless knowing everything would be fine so long as Jin remained in the kitchen out of sight. "Sure, come on in." Touya stepped aside to allow the elder of his clan inside. "Please, make yourself at home."

Elder Ambar made his way over to the bedcovers, noticing a change in Touya's behavior lately. "You appear much kinder than usual. What has happened to your heart lately, young one?"

Touya was hesitant to answer that question. He could only avoid Elder Ambar's curious gaze.

"I am not saying the change is necessarily bad, Touya," Ambar corrected figuring the warrior was worried he would criticize him for changing his cold-hearted ways. "I am just curious as to what finally broke through your ice barrier."

"I guess all it took was somebody I never expected to warm my heart," Touya answered not afraid to smile before the elder within his bedroom.

Jin remained in the kitchen, out of sight whilst listening in on the conversation between the two. His elfin ears caught a hold of Touya's words, and he couldn't help but smile as well, lidding his eyes in thought.

Ambar looked towards the doorway leading into the kitchen to smell the food as well as see it was set for two to an extent as his sight was awfully bad. "I am sorry. I see you must have a guest over. In that case I won't keep you." Ambar's old hands kept a firm grip onto his walking stick as he thought back on the vision he had just recently. "I saw something not too long ago when speaking to the Goddess, young one. She foretells of your path being overclouded with darkness." His misty eyes looked up at the ice master. "I fear that the other demon I saw you with will essentially lead you down this darkened path. In that vision I felt you slipping away…and what was odd, your spirit seemed the most content down this path."

Hearing that he might be Touya's undoing, Jin's smile faded as he kept listening in from the sidelines. He couldn't bear the thought of pulling Touya from the only place he ever knew and possibly down a path to his ultimate end. The wind demon's heart ached at the thought.

"Elder Ambar…I don't…," Touya was at a loss for words.

"Just be careful of what demon captures you, Touya," Ambar went on to say as he got back to his weary feet. "If the dark path you take is what you want, then I will not stop you. Just please, be careful. I felt in this vision that you were never coming back here, and the Goddess wanted you to stay away."

Touya helped the elder to his feet though he was confused by this vision Elder Ambar saw. He knew Ambar's visions were never off as he was very in tune with the Goddess' voice and her foresight. Touya opened the entrance flap for Ambar so that the old demon could leave his home. "Thank you for telling me this, Elder Ambar," Touya said though his tone would show otherwise of being thankful. "May the Goddess watch over you."

With the elder gone, Jin knew it was safe to come out, but after that moment, he just wanted to remain hidden. His back against the wall still, Jin slowly fell to the floor. Bringing his legs to his chest, he rested his forehead upon his knees.

The ice master made his way into the kitchen to find Jin there in the weak position he was within. "Jin, what is the matter?" Touya asked as he knelt down beside him, placing his hand behind his fiery red hair. "Did what the elder say worry you? Don't fret about me. I will be fine."

"It's not just about that…the demon he saw," Jin mumbled upon his thighs. "What if that demon is me?" He finally moved his head from his knees to look over at Touya who was trying to comfort him. "I love you, Touya, and I am already losing enough as is. I don't want to lose you too just because your being with me could jeopardize your wellbeing."

Touya shook his head, confused at the wind demon's incoherent babbling. "Jin, what are you talking about?"

Wiping the tears that dared to creep steadily down his face, Jin tried to regain himself once more. "My mother…my mother is dying. There is no cure for her this time, Touya," he said, his voice breaking upon every word. "I could heal her every chance I could get with that rune of yours, but she will just continue to fall ill."

"What is wrong with her?" Touya asked, creasing his brow in worry.

"The doctor said her spirit could no longer hold onto her aging body," said Jin as he wiped his eyes once more. "The illness that had her previously had done the damage that it could to her even if the True Water Rune tried to save her. She has to go for the heavens are calling her and there is nothing he could do to save her."

Touya couldn't help but admit that was probably what was wrong with his mother this time. She was just old for a human, and she could no longer hold on. "Jin…I…" His face expressed sympathy and pain at the wind demon's situation. "I am…so sorry…" The ice master kept his hand upon the back of Jin's head. "If I could take her place for you, I would."

"Don't say that," Jin was quick to say as he shook his head at the thought of Touya doing so. "I know my mother wouldn't want that. She would tell me she's lived a wonderful life and it's her time to go, but…it's so hard to know I have to let her go. Why must she go where I cannot follow her?"

Not able to hold back this time, Touya embraced the demon he had scorned and ridiculed since they met. Jin was surprised by the sudden embrace as he widened his teary eyes at the sudden gesture. When Jin's lips threatened to speak his name, Touya merely said, "Shut up, you fool, and just hug me," as sincerely as possible.

Jin did so without hesitation, burying his face into the cold neck of the ice demon, finding the coldness of Touya's skin to be the most welcoming at that moment. When he pulled back a few moments later, he saw just in time as a cold tear escaped from Touya's narrow eyes only to freeze there upon his cheek. "Your tear froze," Jin whispered, reaching for the frozen salty tear to remove it from Touya's face.

"It's a reason why ice demons never shed normal tears. Usually they turn into jewels, but it's more frequent for the women of this village more so than the males," Touya explained with a shrug. "However, for males, we only cry jewels when we choose to—normally in a fit of joy more so than sadness. It is usually given to the one we love."

Taking Touya's hand back into his own, he kissed the freezing fingers of the demon before bringing them close to his cheek. "I hope to one day receive mine," he said hopefully.

Touya came closer to Jin to kiss him upon the corner of his mouth tenderly, allowing the kiss to linger for a moment before he pulled back to look into the baby blue eyes of the wind master. "I am sure one day it will come," he whispered between the two of them before kissing Jin once more.

The ice demon blinked a few times in attempts to bring himself back to the present, watching the candle flame dance upon the table that had caught his attention from where he was resting in the Chisha bed. He closed his eyes once more, sighing inwardly. "My heart had melted that night." The air seemed to get heavy at that sentence alone as Touya paused. He reopened his eyes to continue to stare off at the flickering flame. "Every battle I fought was for a new purpose and was not with somebody I viewed as my lesser, but as my equal."

Piper couldn't find her voice for a moment, having so many questions to ask. "What-what happened to Jin's mother?"

His brow creased in sadness at having to remember that night. "She died…weeks later." Touya brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms about them. "Jin was a mess that night, and he didn't make it to my house, so I was worried and took off to find him at the human city."


	14. Chapter 14

The hours seemed to pass by too quickly for Touya as he remembered waiting as patiently as he could that night for the wind master to return to his house. He opened the curtains, which hung before his bedroom window, watching as the snow fell relentlessly up at the ice clan's northern home to find no sign or energy signature of the demon. Closing his eyes, Touya released a worried sigh as he allowed the curtains to fall back into place. The feelings he had been immune to all these years as an ice demon were starting to overwhelm him—worry, fear, and the sickness which caused such things.

_He is never this late_, Touya thought to himself as he began to pace the bedroom floor. _What has happened to him?_

A knock soon coming from the side of his home, Touya's eyes shot wide open as he hurried for the door. He was hoping it was Jin and a part of him feeling maybe it was as he threw aside the flap of animal skin only to see otherwise. An annoyed frown creased his features as he stared down the youngest elder of the clan. "What do you want Sal'kra?"

"It's 'Elder' Sal'kra, and you'd do well to remember that," the elder growled as he pushed his way past Touya into his house without another thought. "So what has you pacing about like a fool? Some woman of the clan has your interest or is it something else I wonder."

Touya didn't like it when Sal'kra pried, and lately he had been doing it quite often as if trying to catch him in the act of something. "I am waiting for my demon slave to get here so he can help me protect the boundaries of this place. I have no interest in the women here, you know that." Touya tried to put back up his icy barrier of anger, but it was difficult to do lately it seemed even for somebody as annoying to him as Sal'kra.

"Is that so?" The young elder of the ice clan continued to eye the room suspiciously. "You know, you're acting quite attached for somebody who feels nothing for this lesser beast. What has you so interested in this demon?" The palms of the ice demon elder met with the icy vanity in Touya's bedroom as he leaned against the marble in a relaxed state.

"What is it you truly want, Sal'kra? I don't have all day for your foolishness!" Touya growled with his fists tightly at his side.

Sal'kra chuckled in the back of his throat at Touya's rising anger at him. "I am just curious what is it that keeps you up at night if no woman has your affection or is it you're giving it to somebody else such as this hired demon of yours?"

With Sal'kra getting so close to the truth of his worry, it angered Touya to the point of creating his ice sword and pointing it furiously at the nosey elder. "Get out of here! Now!"

"My, my, I must have hit a cord." Sal'kra smirked as he headed towards the exit. "I'd advise you to be careful lately. Elder Ambar said the Goddess fears you turning down a dark path to your death. Naturally I wouldn't care about your meaningless life; however, I do care about the wellbeing of this clan, and if your carelessness puts it in danger, I will ask the pleasure of executing you myself."

"Not if I get the pleasure of doing you in before you consider touching me," Touya threatened through his teeth.

With that said, Sal'kra snorted in aggravation before departing the ice warrior's home. The wind bitter and biting at the ice elder, he ignored it as his white hair tossed about due to the brutal wind currents brushing against each strand. "You're up to something, Touya, and I am going to find out what it is that has caused you to change." His breath was not visible upon the air when he spoke as his body found such climate natural. Crossing his arms before his chest, he Sal'kra headed back to his own home for the night.

Touya lowered his ice weapon with the elder gone from his sight. A shake of his head and a heavy sigh, he looked outside once more to check the position of the moon to find it high within the sky that night. _He is taking too long. _The ice master ran back into his home to pick up a few of his belongings_. I am going to find him at that human city!_

* * *

Two hours later, Touya made his way outside of the city with a hood over his head concealed within his brown robe he would sometimes wear outside of the ice clan's boundaries. His hand clasping the rare, sapphire, this could only found in the depths of his clan, that held the hood together in the center beneath his chin, the ice demon made his way hesitantly towards the front gates of Vinay Del Zexay. He was worried that the humans would know what he was as he made it towards the archway leading beyond the cobblestone walls. Only a few steps away from getting to the front guards, their swords clanked together as the two weapons met to block Touya's way.

"Halt! What brings you here at this late hour?" One of the guards demanded to know as it was unnatural for anybody to be out at such a time.

Touya kept himself hidden in the darkness as he was used to doing as an assassin of his tribe. "I am here to see a friend of mine. He needs my help. I came all the way from Iksay Village, so please, let me in."

The two guards appeared to deliberate silently between one another about whether or not to let Touya through before nodding a 'yes' at the ice demon. "Alright, you may go in." The two pulled their swords from one another. "But be careful from now on when it comes to such late travels."

The ice master merely nodded as he walked past the guards into the cold, stone city of the human race. His bare feet hitting the stone streets of the Zexen capital, Touya made his way quickly towards Jin's home. The picket fence was within sight within the moonlit night. A dreadful feeling was washing over the ice demon was he opened the gate and hurried to the door to knock upon it. "Jin, are you home?" When nobody answered, he tried knocking a bit louder. "Jin, are you there?" Once again, nothing came from the other side. Even if there was still the option that Jin wasn't home, Touya opened the door regardless to allow himself inside.

The door creaked open to the dark living room area of the house, shadows from the outside dancing upon the inanimate objects within the living quarters. It played on Touya's jumpiness but only for a moment as he made his way to the staircase quickly to head on upstairs. All of the doors were closed and lightless except for the very last one at the end of the hallway where Jin's mother was kept. Touya silently made his way all the way to the end of the corridor to the slightly opened door. He didn't bother to open it at first, instead he listened to the sniffling coming from the other side before finally sliding the door open completely. "Jin?" He called so as not to startle him.

Touya made his way into the grimly feeling atmospheric room. From where he was at the doorway, he spied Jin over upon his mother's bed, sobbing against his knees. He made his way over to the weeping wind demon, bringing his hand up as if to say something only to stop and use it to pull some of his loose sky blue hair back into place at first. "Jin, what is the matter?" Looking about the room lit by a single candle on the nightstand behind the head of the bed, Touya noticed no sign of Jin's human mother. "Where is your mother?" He was dreading the answer, but asked it anyways.

Jin pulled his head up only slightly, leaving his wild, messy hair to continue to cover his face in the darkness. "She died last night. Once I came home, it was over for her…" He wiped his eyes clear for a moment with the back of his hand. "When she passed, I had to have her buried early in the morning." A mournful sigh escaped his lips. "I can't keep the home she loved and lived in for so many years. It has to be sold and all her things auctioned tomorrow."

Kneeling down beside the bed, Touya wrapped his chilly fingers about Jin's arm, which was blocking him from seeing the wind master's face. He moved the fiery, red hair out of his way to see Jin's tear stained face. "I am sorry, Jin. I am _so_ sorry."

Running his fingers through his red hair, Jin nodded at Touya's apology for the turn of events. "Thank you, Touya." Jin embraced the ice demon, burying his nose into the icy skin of Touya. "I really don't want to go back to the wind demon clan right now."

Touya was a bit surprised by the embrace but accepted it regardless, holding onto Jin tightly in return. "You will have to stay at the inn. It is too dangerous for you to come home with me to my clan. Sal'kra has been getting nosey lately about my affairs, and I cannot afford to have him finding us out."

Jin pulled back from the hug for a moment to look pleadingly up at Touya with a shake of his head. "No, I don't have enough money! I haven't been working as an assassin to others in years. I need a place to stay, Touya!" Touya looked the other way as if to say another definite 'no', Jin grabbed onto his shoulders to shake him for a second. "Please? I promise I won't be a bother, and I will stay out of this Sal'kra's sight!"

Sighing at Jin's persistent behavior to be brought back to the ice demon clan, Touya finally nodded his head only to raise his hand to prevent Jin from cheering just yet. "Only on one condition and that is if you remain in your shinobi attire when you're out and about. I don't need anybody finding us out, or we will both end up without a home."

Piper listened to the story Touya was confessing to her only to have him stop at that point making her confused as she shrugged with a raise of her thin brow. "So, what happened next?"

Touya looked over at the Chisha woman with a slight cough against his hand. "What do you meant 'what happened next'?"

"Well, you obviously now live at the Zexen inn. Why is that? Did you both get found out?" Piper seemed to ignore the fact she was getting a little nosey about the whole thing.

He held out on answering her question to reach over and grab himself something to drink as he was starting to feel warmer than usual once more. Placing the glass back down on the nightstand near his bed, he sighed at the question presented to him. "Well, it would be a year later before anything really happened."

Touya recalled how Jin would usually be seen by the ice demon clan in his dark shinobi attire with his powers oppressed. Everybody who saw him assumed he was just a weak demon Touya managed to keep under his control. Jin was never allowed to speak out in public, leaving him to be voiceless as well as faceless to those who saw him. His blue eyes were the only thing they could see. Some of the ice demons were on edge upon seeing the faceless demon wander back and forth at night and in the broad daylight hours, but they knew Touya had him perfectly under control and there was no cause for alarm.

"I still say you give the warrior too much freedom!" Sal'kra growled, his fists meeting with his thighs from the Indian sitting position he was in. "That demon could be using Touya blindly for all we know, waiting for the moment to strike at any time!"

Elder Ambar seemed to ignore Sal'kra's words of anger as he sat peacefully across from him on the other side of the burning blue flame.

Sal'kra was growing impatient with Ambar's emotionless attitude towards the subject at hand. "Why do you do nothing, Elder Ambar? Your people are at stake, are they not?"

Hearing of his people being in possible danger, the great elder opened his weary eyes for a moment to hum in thought. "No, only one of them is from what the Goddess tells me."

Not understanding what that meant, Sal'kra shook his head irritably before leaving the Elders' Circle to head on outside in the heavy snowfall they had that evening. The sun was heading behind the mountains at a steady pace making the temperature drop with its slow descend. Squinting his eyes through the steady snow fall, Sal'kra managed to find the demonic duo heading towards the ice warrior's home. The elder narrowed his eyes as he watched the two closely.

Touya removed the flap hanging in front of his doorway to allow himself inside as well as Jin, knowing the wind demon could only take so much from the demonic cold. To make sure that the cold wouldn't blow the door open, Touya kept it securely in place by tying the animal fur off to the side, causing it to stretch across the doorway completely. Upon doing so, he went to his windows to pull the cotton linens across them, so nobody would be able to see the wind demon unmasked.

"Is it safe?" Jin asked behind the mask he wore from his ninja attire.

Moving the last curtain into place from beside his bed, he looked over at Jin and nodded. "Yes, you can take it off now."

Jin slipped his fingers behind the thin fabric to lower the black mask from over the slope of his nose to reveal the most part of his face. "Phew, thank goodness. Wearing this thing all day gets me a little hard at breathing some times even if the fabric is relatively thin."

"It's either have the air filtered through that mask or have you be executed for your past crimes against my clan," Touya felt need to remind his partner as he slipped off of the bed to remove his shirt, as if he were hot from the day, from his pallid chest. "It's late. I need to make dinner." He took weary steps towards the kitchen doorway only to pause and look over at the wall to his right, sensing a familiar presents not too far away from his home. "Sal'kra is outside my house…" Touya's tone was filled with annoyance and anger as he wondered what the brash elder would do now.

Jin looked over at the door with a raise of his elfin ears. "What's he doing outside again?" It had been three months since Sal'kra found the need to stay stationed outside of Touya's house every once in awhile ever since Jin came to stay with the ice demon. Some times the elder would even bust through the doorway, not even announcing himself to Touya in attempts to find out what was going on with him and this unknown demon. Jin's fingers gripped onto the edge of his mask once more as if ready to place it back if it were necessary to do so.

Touya pointed quickly at Jin with a nod of his head. "Put that back on quickly. Who knows what he is planning right now." He made sure Jin's face was covered once more before bothering to unlatch the animal fur from the place he had it so tightly tied. Pushing it aside, he made his way out into the snow fall once more to confront the obviously angered ice elder. "Why are you outside my house again, Sal'kra? Nobody invited you here. Be gone!" Touya demanded as he pointed at the opposing ice demon.

"You may be able to control that weak beast inside of your house, but you cannot control me, weak demon!" Sal'kra insulted.

Clinching his teeth, Touya merely growled at Sal'kra's words to him and to Jin.

"Tell me, what causes that beast in there to listen to you?" The elder went on to wonder as he could see Jin still inside of the house just off to the side. "What strength is it that you possess to have him under your spell?"

"That's none of your concern! Get out of here!" Touya demanded once more.

Sal'kra merely smirked, his eyes closed as he lowered his head momentarily. "I wonder how strong he truly is!" His eyes flashed open as Sal'kra used his ice powers to create several ice shards to hurl at the unsuspecting Touya to see how the other demon would react.

Touya's eyes widened as he wasn't expecting that kind of attack from one of his own. Unable to think on getting his ice barrier up in time, he closed his eyes waiting for the sharp pain to hit him only to hear one of the shards breaking like a thin piece of glass. He opened his eyes to find Jin standing before him with some of the ice crystals embedded in his front though he was able to catch at least two of the four to break them in his hands.

The elder was amazed by the demon acting so quickly on Touya's behalf. He shook his head and stepped back, unable to believe he caught at least two of them. "Why? Why does he do that!" Sal'kra exclaimed in anger more so than confusion.

Neither Jin nor Touya answered. They merely looked at one another before gazing over at the confused elder of the clan. Touya pointed over towards the east of the clan. "Go home, Sal'kra. Go home and don't bother me again."

Snorting in anger, Sal'kra did just that. He knew it would be pointless to continue to stay and get to the bottom of what was going on between the two demons, realizing now the demon Touya had under his command was a bit stronger than he imagined.

With the snow soon covering Sal'kra's tracks as well as his form, Touya turned quickly to Jin to see the shards there in his chest. "Dammit, I didn't expect him to actually attack this time! I was caught off guard!" Touya sounded furious with himself as he pulled one of the ice weapons from Jin's chest, causing a bit of crimson liquid to pour from the wound. "Cover it. I cannot, or I will freeze your blood with my hand."

Jin did as he was asked placing his hand there as he panted softly from the adrenalin rush he received. "Do elders usually attack?"

"No," Touya answered with a sigh as he guided Jin back inside. "They only attack when the Goddess and sacred ground is breached and threatened, and that is mainly why I was caught off guard. I didn't expect Sal'kra to go against the code of the elders." He steadily helped Jin sit down upon his bed before pulling out the other shard. Seeing Jin grunt in pain, he apologized. "I am sorry, but I cannot leave them inside of you or your entire body will steadily get frostbite from the inside out."

"Apparently this Sal'kra isn't too found of you," Jin remarked as he covered the other wound. He watched as Touya made his way back over to the injured wind master with some bandages and medicine to place upon them in a clay bowel. "And exactly why is that?"

Touya sat beside Jin with a sigh thinking of why Sal'kra had become so bitter towards him. "Well," he began, running one of the strips of cloth into the medicine bowel, "ever since I was little, I was able to outdo everyone in my class. Sal'kra is my age, and even now he is envious of my talents in battle. I am sure a part of him wishes he were a warrior and not an elder."

"I guess he was just born to be in battle." Jin smiled for a moment. "Sometimes we get born into classes we don't want to be in." The feel of the medicine covered bandage concealing his wounds, he hissed once more while biting his lower lip.

"You could say that again." Touya ignored Jin's growling knowing that the wind demon would be alright. "Sometimes I wish I were just born as a normal being at times."

Jin grabbed gently onto Touya's hand once the ice demon applied the last bandage to his pierced skin. "It wouldn't matter to me what form or class you took. I would still find my way to you whether in this lifetime or the next." He rested his forehead against Touya's with a smile upon his face, lit by the rising moonlight.

Closing his eyes, Touya tilted his head to the side he brought his chilly mouth to touch Jin's warm lips. He brought his hand up to cup the side of Jin's face, dipping his tongue into the wind demon's mouth to taste of his warm breath. Pulling back from the kiss for a moment, Touya looked into Jin's lidded baby-blue eyes with a smile, which he rarely expressed. "Thank you for that." Touya moved some of the red strands of hair out of Jin's face. "I love you dearly."

A chuckle surfaced from Jin's throat. "I thought I would never hear you say that in my lifetime." Cupping Touya's head tenderly, he drew the ice master back into the kiss, lowering him down to the bed to lie on top of the ice demon.

The wind was blowing the snow about roughly outside making it impossible for even the ice demons to come out. Only one demon was able to find the fuel to make his way through the storm and to the Great Goddess' Temple. The hooded ice demon pulled out his marked palm to show his association with the elders of the ice clan. The markings on the demon's palm began to shine a bright, sky blue, reacting to the same circular pattern on the icy door. The door able to read the design made for the ice demon clan elders only began to shake before steadily moving apart to allow entrance into the sacred temple.

Moonlight poured weakly into the Goddess' Temple, the candles lighting by themselves as soon as the elder stepped into the building. The ice door slid back together, giving the hooded elder some peace within the building as he made his way to the giant ice crystal in the center of the room surrounded by several smaller ones. The pallid fingers gripped onto the hood to pull it back and reveal the face of the elder. By no surprise, it was Sal'kra.

Sal'kra made it up to the dully shining crystal, lit merely by the candlelight in the main room. "The Goddess' Crystal," he said mostly to himself as he stood mere inches away from it. "Great Goddess, there is something you want to show Elder Ambar regarding that ice warrior, Touya. Please grant me the sight you hold to allow me to see what secrets the ice demon is hiding."

At that moment the crystal began to shine a bright, white color to produce an image upon its clear appearance. Sal'kra squinted through the brightness of the illuminating crystals to see the images it was producing of Touya within his own home. All he could see was Touya apparently having fun and making love to some being, which was out of the projection. "What is he doing?" Sal'kra wondered, shifting his eyes back and forth. "Who is he with?"

It was then Jin finally moved upwards from lying down on the bed into the eyes of the Goddess. His hair was messy and mainly in his face though Sal'kra was able to recognize exactly who the chuckling demon was. "It's him—it's that intruding wind demon!" Sal'kra exclaimed mostly to himself, unaware somebody was standing behind him watching as well.

"Not only is he in bed with an enemy," Elder Ambar's voice announced from behind Sal'kra, "but he is sleeping with a man. That is a double sin for the young warrior." Ambar made his way to the side of the youngest elder of the group to see what the Goddess was portraying before them.

"Don't you see what he might have done, Elder Ambar!" Sal'kra exclaimed. "He might have set up that assault onto the ice demon boarder!"

_That doesn't sound like Touya in the least_, Ambar thought to himself as his fingers gripped tightly onto the staff he held and used often as a walking cane. "I am going to assemble the elder council. I want you to send the guards to Touya and the wind demon and bring them before the council. That is _**ALL**_ I want you to do, Sal'kra. Please do not harm them." Ambar turned around to make his way out of the Goddess' Temple and to assemble the elders for the council.

Sal'kra waited until Ambar was gone from sight, smirking there within the dimly lit room. "You are **MINE**, Touya!"

After spending an intimate moment with one another, Touya and Jin both slept side by side upon the ice master's bed. Soon enough he could sense the powers of the coming demons towards his home. His eyes shot open quickly as he got up in bed to shake Jin awake. "Jin, get up! Get up, hurry!"

Jin snapped awake with a shake of his head. "What, what is it?" He asked wearily.

"More than just Sal'kra is coming this time," Touya said breathlessly as he kept his eyes upon his door. "Guards are as well! Hurry and get out of here!"

"But—!"

Touya didn't have time to argue as he pointed to the window while grabbed his pants he had on the floor. "**NOW**! Get out of here!"

Jin was hesitant to do so as he grabbed up his clothes and just hurried into the kitchen, suppressing his powers.

"Jin, don't!" He wanted the wind demon to get out of his house, but he was unable to escort him personally as the animal skin acting as his front door was torn from where it stood. Touya got on the defensive when seeing how aggressive they were being causing him to ready his ice sword. "What the hell do you want? Why are you here?"

Sal'kra pushed his way past the guards to make his presence known. "You're found out for your crimes behind the clan's back, Touya!" The elder pointed at the cornered ice demon. "The Goddess has shown us with you sleeping with the traitor!"

Upon hearing that, Touya's heart sank as he lowered his ice sword slightly and took a step back.

With the ice warrior not saying anything about his love affair, Sal'kra looked over at the kitchen with a raise of his thin, white brow. "Now, I wonder where this demon mate of yours is."

"Get out of here!" Touya yelled quickly knowing Sal'kra had spotted Jin's energy signature. The two guards with the elder attacked the ice warrior, pinning him down against the floor with what strength they had as Touya tried to resist them.

The wind about the room began to blow about aggressively as Jin made his way back to his partner's side in the ninja attire he usually wore. Rearing his fist back, he caught one of them by surprise, causing him to be blown right through the wall of Touya's house, dying instantly.

Sal'kra quickly got out of the way of the thrown guard, surprised only for a moment as he growled at the wind demon's resistance. "Guards! Guards!" The elder yelled over and over again as he powered up his ice shield to keep himself out of harm's way incase the wind demon wanted to assault him.

The other guard turned on Jin only to have the wind demon blow him back with just a raise of his own wind barrier to protect Touya from their grasp. Jin was fearful of more coming, knowing a good many of the ice demon guards could overwhelm him if he wasn't careful. His eyes wide-eyed and full of anger spotted the shouting Sal'kra across the room. When he was ready to attack, Touya grabbed onto the black shirt Jin was wearing.

"Don't touch him with his ice shield up!" Touya warned in a high whisper throughout the commotion. "He will just absorb your punches and whatever you throw at him! Elders are better defenders than anything in the clan."

"Then let's get out of here!" Jin insisted as he ran past the elder on the defensive and out the doorway. As soon as Jin made it out into the snowy village, he stopped for a second upon seeing several guards standing in his way with many weapons aimed at them both. The wind demon kept Touya close to his body, ready to call upon his wind powers if he had to in the event he would have to protect them both. "Now what? I can't take them all alone."

"That has been enough!" Elder Ambar's voice could be heard about the many guards as he made his way to the traitors. He used his staff to make his way close enough to the ice and wind demon, sensing the wind demon's aggressions on the wind. "You knew this was bound to happen, wind demon. Do not think you can just fight your way out and be free from the previous crime you committed. Ice demons are resilient, and we will never give up." He nodded his noble head at the still fighting wind demon. "Release him, so we may trial you both."

Jin's grip on Touya only tightened upon hearing those words. Upon feeling it, Touya looked up at Jin with a sigh through his nostrils. "Let me go."

The wind demon felt then that he failed. He closed his eyes and relaxed his body to allow Touya to step away from him for the time being. With the ice demon separated from his companion, the guards quickly wrestled Touya to the ground to bind his hands in the painful exorcism charm to keep his powers from being unleashed. Jin attempted to help Touya from the position he was in with his eyes widened in fear. "No, don't hurt him!" He pleaded only to be pinned down as well when he got too close to have the same treatment done to him. The charm burning his hands, he released a cry of pain as he was brought to his knees.

"There is no sense in you hiding anymore, wind demon!" Sal'kra grumbled as he pulled off Jin's mask to reveal his face.

Elder Ambar shook his head as he looked at the two through his weary sight. "Bring them to the Elders' Circle. We will decide what to do with them there."

Two guards each took the demons to the Elders' Circle, following behind Ambar and Sal'kra.

The elders gathered within the circle about a blue flame fire under the eyes of the Goddess. When the circle was opened by one of the elders, the guards were allowed to bring in the two demons to be tried for their crimes against the ice clan. One of the ice guards grabbed Touya by the neck and forced him forwards to be tried first before the clan elders.

Touya stumbled forwards and landed upon his knees. For once in his lifetime, he was too ashamed to look his own clan elders in the face. He allowed his messy bi-colored hair to hide his face.

Elder Ambar gazed at the demon on trial through the flickering blue flame. "You hide yourself from us. Why do you do so now? What is it you're ashamed of?"

Jin's elfin ears picked up that Touya appeared ashamed of something making his heart sink in worry of what it was. He watched from the sidelines as Touya was being verbally persecuted first for his betrayal against the clan.

The ice warrior raised his head slightly as he looked through his hair at the elder across from him. "I am ashamed…at betraying you all. But bear in mind that is all I am ashamed of and not my methods of doing so."

Ambar's withered fingers gripped upon his staff for a moment taking in Touya's words. "I see." His eyes shifted upwards at the wind demon for a moment. "So he is your reason for this change in your heart."

Touya said nothing. He was fearful of what the elders would do if he announced his love for the wind demon there within the circle.

The elder recognized the stiffening aura consuming the ice warrior once more. The beads decorating his hair clicked together as he titled his head slightly. "Your heart has hardened again. Is there a reason for that?"

Once more Touya didn't answer as he clutched his bleeding and burned hands behind his back.

Without saying anything in return to Touya, Ambar nodded at the guards holding onto the superior wind demon. "Execute him."

With the sound of the ice swords moving quickly to carry out Ambar's orders made Touya release his cold inner barrier. His eyes shinning with the sight of tears in his eyes, he looked over at the guards holding onto the wind demon. "**STOP**!" He yelled, causing the guards to stop their weapons inches from Jin's flesh. "Please…just stop!" The tears falling from his eyes managed to make it past his chin and crash to the floor once they had frozen from touching his cold flesh.

"Ah, so you do feel something for him," Ambar said with a nod while motioning for the guards to back down. "You're trying to protect him from being killed on your behalf by pretending you feel nothing for him."

"The wind demon meant no harm!" Touya insisted while avoiding saying Jin's name knowing that revealing a demon's name gave it more vulnerability to its foes than anything. "He just wanted me to heal his dying mother with my True Water Rune!" With the room silent, he lowered his head with a heavy sigh. "He just wanted to find the rune I have to heal his mother—not the Goddess' Crystal. He meant no harm whatsoever, so I helped him to have him leave the clan…"

"So where exactly does your love affair with the demon come from?" Sal'kra wondered with a smirk.

Touya growled at Sal'kra's remark, about to attack with his powers only to have the charm to keep him from doing so. Closing his eyes tightly, he hunched over panting heavily at the burn to his hands from trying.

Elder Ambar placed the side of his finger against his mouth, thinking about what to do regarding the two. It was true that the wind demon merely protected Touya and did nothing else. However, he couldn't deny that the two demons had committed crimes against the clan and those couldn't go unpunished. As if to give him an answer, the road he saw Touya walking down came to mind making Ambar realize this wasn't that time for the ice warrior. He pulled his finger from his mouth to speak once more. "I have decided with the Goddess what will be done."

The elders, Touya, and Jin were all silent as they looked upon the eldest of the elders.

Ambar was quiet for awhile as he tapped his fingers upon the staff he used. "Touya, I banish you from these grounds."

Touya's head shot up as he heard Ambar say those words to him. There was relief upon every inch of his being.

While everyone was shocked and some angered, Ambar continued regardless. "I banish you from ever returning here as well as your companion. If either one of you are caught here on sight, we won't hesitate to kill you both." He caught the confusion in Touya's eyes prompting the elder to tilt his head downward to look directly at Touya. "This is the dark path the Goddess wants you to walk together." When he saw that the ice warrior was able to recall the vision Ambar spoke to him about so long ago, Ambar managed a brief smile. "Release them."

The guards cut the charms from the two demons, allowing them to be free. As soon as Jin was freed, he hurried over to Touya who couldn't find his feet to help him stand. "Come on," he whispered to his partner. "We can get out of here."

Sal'kra couldn't stand to see this happen as he steadily rose from the circle. "This is not **FAIR**!" He yelled angrily wanting to see Touya killed before him. Everybody was silent upon the elder's outburst. "He has been keeping the identity of that intruding demon from us for a year! He should be executed!"

"Sal'kra," Ambar began sternly, "you have not seen what the Goddess has shown me. This is a fair enough trade. Besides, the wind demon didn't harm us or steal anything from us under Touya's watch. There is no reason to execute him for a crime he didn't commit." Ambar lowered his head, rubbing his aged hand, which was resting upon the top of his staff. "And in that light, Touya didn't endanger anybody. The reason I am banishing him is because of his love to another male demon. It is a low sin in its own right and is why it deserves a low punishment."

The youngest elder was still outraged as he grabbed onto the sides of his head wanting to rip the hair strands from his scalp. It was unlike elders to be so insanely angry. Normally they were calm and stern thanks to meditation and connection to the Goddess.

Touya couldn't help but be a bit worried over Sal'kra's anger as he was helped steadily to his weary feet thanks to Jin. His fingers wrapped tightly about Jin's wrist as he helped himself out of the circle. As he was about to exit through the archway of the room, Touya stopped for a moment to look over at Elder Ambar. "Thank you," he said breathlessly in a merciful tone.

Elder Ambar merely expressed a smile for only the ice warrior to see as he lowered his head further.

Through his blinding rage, Sal'kra watched as the two demons slowly exited out of the Elder's Circle and towards Touya's house to pack what things they could before leaving. He didn't care what anybody thought or what anybody said as the elder ran towards Touya to tackle him from behind, causing Touya to land face first in the layered snow.

Touya quickly shook the cold powder from his face before bringing his elbow up to knock the elder from his back. With his back free, he scrambled to his feet quickly to turn around with his ice sword out.

Jin was shocked at first, but his shock turned to anger as he was ready to charge in to save and protect Touya. Taking one step forward, the staff of Ambar met against his chest soon enough to stop him from progressing. "Don't!" Ambar said sternly. "This was a fight raging on before you vowed yourself to him, wind demon. Let him settle it."

"I won't let you walk out of here just as easily as that!" Sal'kra yelled in anger as he got his ice staff out. Taking his staff and whirling it about his head, he was able to pull the snow from the ground to barricade himself in a cyclone of shards.

Seeing as he was just pulled into the Elders' Circle, Touya didn't have his True Rune to enhance his powers or his steel weapons. Regardless of this realization, he wasn't afraid to take on the elder. "If you want to fight me like a true warrior, then don't hide behind your defenses and take the wounds I give you like the man you claim to be."

Sal'kra's rage was further lit by that statement. "Who says I am defending myself!" He yelled as he pointed his staff forwards to beckon the thousands of ice shards towards Touya.

Touya wasn't worried as he raised his hand upwards to make the snow shoot up as a vertical wall so he could be spared from the oncoming attack. Running at a blinding speed about the elder, he continued to throw the snow several feet high to block the wall of ice attack from hitting him prompting Sal'kra to laugh out loud.

"Now who is the one defending and acting as the coward?"

"I am not just defending myself," Touya said once he stood behind the unsuspecting elder. Using the side of his hand, the ice warrior hit the back of Sal'kra's neck harshly to cause his foe to fall harshly towards the ground. During the shock, Touya was able to grab Sal'kra's staff, which contained most of his power usage. "I was distracting you to the point you wouldn't be able to pinpoint me, but I am sure your mindless anger did most of that job." He held onto the staff with his eyes narrowed angrily down at his enemy to show he had been victorious. "I have won, and you are defeated."

Sal'kra had been driven into madness at this point as he got to his feet quickly trying to not only retrieve his staff but to at least land a punch on Touya. His face was wrinkled into extreme anger with his hair falling from the upwards style he usually had it within as he tried to pierce the skin of Touya only to have the exiled warrior to be too fast for him.

Upon the fourth or fifth try of this, Touya had enough and used the back of his hand to land across Sal'kra's face. With the beaten elder landing back into the snow once more, Ambar had seen enough as he stepped in between the two with his hands raised.

"Touya, you have won your freedom from here. Pack your things and hurry onwards," Ambar insisted before turning to Sal'kra. "As for you, you disgrace me! It is times like this that I wish Touya were my disciple instead of you."

It was the most damning thing Sal'kra could hear, but at this point he knew he was a disgrace. He merely stayed where he was, not wanting to see the faces of the others who were scorning his actions and failure.

Jin looked down from Sal'kra before shifting his focus on his partner who was still standing firmly against his fallen adversary. He placed his hand upon Touya to snap him from his stance with a sidewise smile. The wind demon didn't say anything this round. All he did was nod towards the direction of Touya's home. Jin's feet crunching through the snow, he made his way there with Touya following behind him in his tracks.


	15. Chapter 15

Piper listened to the end of Touya's part of the story with her knuckles resting against her cheek. When the ice demon refused to speak another word afterwards, she raised her head slightly. "And that is how you ended up in Zexen under the disguise as humans?"

The narrow, icy, cold eyes of the ice master shifted through the candlelight over to the curious Piper. "Jin and I traveled through the forests together, only able to find shelter in abandoned caves or under the canopy of the woodlands. We managed to scrounge up some money and rent the inn within Vinay Del Zexay." Touya sighed, massaging in between his eyes as he could feel himself starting to get dizzy. "We've stayed there for awhile now, but with the economy being so bad, the price on the room has gone up."

"Well, whatever happened to your True Water Rune?" Piper wondered with a shrug. "If you had that, you could at least heal yourself."

"I lost it sometime during our travels together and beast slaying," Touya admitted sorrowfully. "During a rainy run we had in a demon village, one of the warriors knocked my weapon from my hand causing the blade to smash against the rocks near the stream. It fell out of my sword, and I lost it to the river." The ice master remembered hitting his back against one of the rock formations harshly causing him to lose his grip upon the sword he normally fought with aside from his ice sword he could generate. The sword hit the watery surface of the rushing river, disappearing in the dark, murky depths. He remembered panicking, not wanting to lose his rune above anything.

"That is horrible." Piper's voice seemed to snap him back to reality as she furrowed her brow in worry. "I am sorry to hear that."

Touya merely shrugged, acting as though his heart were still cold about the thought of dying. "So right now my only hope, if any, is to find somebody who can diagnose me and find a cure for this sickness." He closed his eyes, wrinkling his nose in the candlelight. "I honestly don't think there is any hope, but I cannot say anything to Jin about it. He will cry like a big child."

Hearing Touya actually say such a thing out loud almost made Piper herself want to cry. Instead, she got angry. "How could you say that!" She exclaimed, gripping tightly onto her dress. "He cares a lot about you! He cares so much that he drinks himself sick!" Piper witnessed as Touya snapped his head over at her almost appearing irritated at her outburst, but she refused to pull back now. "Why do you give up all hope when Jin still clings so tightly to it?" The Chisha woman asked softly this time.

The ice master stared long and hard at Piper, not saying a thing for awhile. He turned away from her, looking down at the foot of his bed. "I don't believe in giving people false hope. I believe in accepting what is to come."

Piper was at a loss for words as she shook her head at the ice master's cold nature. She couldn't think of what else to say or do to make him more hopeful.

The creaking of the door alerted both the demon and Piper as they glanced quickly over at the opening door. The doctor who had left before was re-entering with a few books in his possession. When he felt the others staring at him, he looked up only to draw back at the realization that the ice demon's eyes were open. "Great Spirits…! That thing is awake now!"

Being called such a name made Touya growl slightly with a hiss in irritation. "I am not a _**thing**_, thank you." Touya crossed his arms over his chest to show he wasn't amused.

"Touya, please," Piper begged, placing her hand boldly on the ice demon's shoulder. "You have to understand that not many people here are used to tending to demons in the Grasslands. We're used to them attacking our villages and killing our ken."

The doctor blinked confusingly at the two. "It seems you've reached an understanding with the demon." He closed the door behind him before sneaking cautiously into the room. "That is rather…interesting." The doctor couldn't find the courage to get any closer than he was behind the table with Touya wide awake and watching his every step. "Young lady, can I see you over here a moment?"

Piper got up off of the stool she was upon to make it over to the doctor who quickly grabbed her wrist to pull her into the corner of the room. "What? What is it?"

"Exactly how do you manage to get that close to something that dangerous?" The doctor felt need to whisper. "What are you, a demon whisperer?" He could tell that the ice master was watching them closely from across the room, making his knees threaten to buckle.

Piper followed his gaze to find Touya apparently glaring over at the doctor making her shake her head at him. "No, I just got to know them both. They are both really nice and don't mean any harm." She sighed, embracing herself. "Just don't treat him like he's some beast, okay? He hates that."

"I've noticed," the doctor grumbled, still leery about Touya.

"Just-promise me you'll take care of him for the sake of everybody." Piper pleaded with the young man, biting her lower lip in concern.

The doctor could see the worry in her expression making him sigh with a shake of his head. "Alright, alright, I promise I will find an answer." Here, he started to guide Piper towards the door. "Just leave this to me, and you go take care of the other demon. All I have to do is get the courage I need to face this…Touya."

Piper tried to find her feet as she was hurried out the door. "W-Wait a minute!" She was unheard as the doctor excused her completely from Touya's sight. Turning around quickly, Piper was met with the door closed in front of her face making her jump back. "Well, that was rude." Seeing as there was no point in her waiting around for the doctor to let her back in, Piper headed down the hallway to make it back to Jin who she was still concerned about.

His hands still against the door to make sure Piper stayed out of the room, the doctor eventually turned around to look over at the ice demon. "So…it is just you and me now." He kept his back against the wooden door, afraid to move at first until finding the courage to start walking towards Touya. "You're not going to…eat me or anything are you?"

Touya closed his eyes and grumbled at the human's remark. "Hn, no, I don't eat junk food."

The doctor laughed nervously at Touya's snide remark. "Sorry, I am used to the human eaters always being around." He made his way over to the empty stool Piper had previously sat upon. His fingers nervously gripped onto the sides of it as he sat down hesitantly.

The demon rolled his eyes. "Not many demons eat humans, so you are safe. Besides, I am a vegetarian."

"A demon who is a vegetarian?" The doctor found this rather strange. "I am used to them tearing into cattle and other things, not trying to make off with our vegetables."

Touya narrowed his eyes at the man who continued to dig his own grave. "You're just asking for it, aren't you?" Powering up his icy powers, he unleashed the freezing air into the room causing the doctor to shiver.

"I'm sorry; I'm sorry!" He apologized quickly, shivering from the sudden temperature change. "Please, allow me to start over as I am your only hope!"

Knowing it wouldn't be right to freeze the man even given his remarks to him, Touya withdrew his powers to have the room temperature return to normal. "Just hurry up and diagnose me."

"Easier said than done," he whispered with a chatter of his teeth. "Anyways, I am Dr. Sur'don. I have experienced a lot within my line of work, but I had to admit that your symptoms baffle me." Dr. Sur'don opened the book he found nestled in his belongings in his room. "I have thousands of illnesses and types of injuries in this book, but not one of them describes what you're going through." He closed the large book and put it down on the table. "I will have to look you over and try different cures to see which one is more affective."

"So I am your test subject?" Touya wrinkled his nose at the thought of being tested on. "I would rather die if that is what is going to happen to me."

"I am not going to do anything harmful to you, demon," the doctor promised. "From what I have seen, you apparently have a good bit of lung problems." Moving closer to Touya, he hesitantly outstretched his hands towards the ice master's throat. "I promise I am not going to strangle you or anything."

Touya didn't back away or make any sudden movements. He continued to watch the doctor closely. "Even if you tried, I'd still be able to do away with you. I am not scared of your kind."

The doctor laughed nervously. "Heh, you sure have a way with people, don't you?" His hands touched Touya's throat, his fingers becoming too cold to continue after a minute or two. "Goodness, your skin is freezing." He wiggled his hands a bit to try and get them to respond to the heat afterwards as they were about to freeze over. "But there is something wrong with the inside of your throat. I can feel lumps about it that are probably constricting your airflow. It might be swelling from something. Are you allergic to anything that you eat?"

Touya sighed, closing his eyes as if annoyed though he was trying to think of any food allergies he might have. His narrow eyes reopening, he shifted them upon the doctor with a shake of his head. "No, I am not. Demons rarely have allergies to anything."

Dr. Sur'don rolled his teeth nervously about his lower lip, thinking of his next course of action. "Alright, I have another idea that might help me see what is going on, but it is risky."

The ice master raised his brow to show his curiosity in what the doctor might have in mind. "I am listening."

"Well, I have a medical team with me that can help me perform this. It is tricky, and I rarely have to perform this," Dr. Sur'don went on to explain. "I could drug you back to sleep and cut open your chest to find what the problem is as your lugs and throat seems to be the main issue. This is called exploration surgery as I don't know what the real issue is here."

"So, you're going to cut me open entirely to find out the problem while I sleep?" Touya clarified to himself and the doctor to see if he got that right. He sighed with his eyes slightly widened wondering if he wanted to go through with that one. "What is the success on this 'operation'?"

The doctor looked up at the ceiling, squinting out of one eye to try and recall the number figuration for that question. "About a fifty-fifty percent chance of me actually getting in and out with what I need and to have you surviving it."

"You're saying it is half and half then?" Touya inquired about to lose his breath at those number stats.

Dr. Sur'don nodded sorrowfully. "I am sorry. It hasn't been perfected yet to where the loss is less than the success. However, with you being a demon and your body having a better recovery rate and tolerance to pain, you might make it."

"'Might'!" The ice demon exclaimed not sure what to say to that. He covered his head with his hands not wanting to think of the possibility of him dying in his sleep due to a botched surgery. He just kept thinking of Jin over and over again, not wanting to really devastate the wind master with his passing.

"Look at it this way, demon," Dr. Sur'don began, folding his hands in his lap, "with how shallow your breathing is and how restricted it sounds, you are going to die anyways. Even as a demon, you cannot survive without the ability to breathe."

Touya cupped his face in his hands, pulling them away from his eyes to look over at the doctor. He was hesitant to say anything at first, still thinking on. "Alright…alright," the ice master finally whispered with a shake of his head knowing that Dr. Sur'don was right. "I will go through with it. Just don't tell Jin. If you do, he'll get upset, and I don't want him upset around here."

"Okay, okay," the doctor acknowledged Touya's plead with a nod. "When do you wish to go through with this? I can do it as soon as possible, or I can wait for when you feel ready. It is up to you."

"Let me…let me wait until I see Jin again." Touya didn't want to go through with the surgery only to have it go wrong and never get to see his companion again. "I want to see him again before deciding to go through with this."

The doctor got up slowly from the stool he was sitting upon near the ice master's bed. "Do you wish that I go retrieve him or that young lady who was in here previously?"

Touya rubbed his eyes to show he was getting tired. He gazed at the doctor, shaking his head with a slight hum of 'no'. "I'll wait. I heard from Piper that he was sleeping off some drunken state he got into."

The Grassland doctor got up and waved for Touya to lie down knowing the demon had to get some rest if the surgery was to go well at all. "You yourself need to do the same. You'll need all the energy you can muster for what is to come." The demon lying upon his side, Dr. Sur'don pulled the covers up to his shoulders before walking over to one of the lit candles in the room. "Do you want me to blow them out for you?"

"All but one," Touya answered almost to himself, staring off at nothing in particular.

Doing as he was asked, the doctor headed for the door to make it out of the room to leave the ice demon alone. Closing the door behind him, he shook his head with a sigh. "I never knew such a patient could put so much pressure on me."

Jin was dead asleep with Piper sitting back by his side. She watched the wind demon sleep carefully in the candlelight making sure to dampen the cloth she had over the sweating Jin's forehead. Piper placed the cloth back upon his forehead when she rang it out. With the redhead's wild bangs getting in his face, Piper moved them with her finger to make sure they wouldn't bother his eyes. "You're going to be okay. You just drank yourself sick," she whispered between the two of them.

The wind demon moaned softly as he continued to fight his hangover, which the medicine was trying to relieve him of. His fingers tensed and relaxed upon the bedcovers. Batting his eyes open, Jin tried to focus on the room he had been given for his stay there in the village. His baby blue eyes looked over at Piper as he removed the cold cloth from his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" Piper inquired, taking the wet rag from his hand. "Is your headache gone?"

"Aye," Jin mumbled, rubbing his forehead just for the sake of making the small twinge of pain go away. Resting his hand upon his chest, he looked over at Piper once more with a raise of his brows. "So how is Touya?"

A small smile crept onto Piper's face, humming softly whilst doing so. "He means a great deal to you. As soon as you wake up, he is the first thing on your mind." She saw Jin tilt his head and eye her in a confused manner as to what she was implying by that given Piper already knew. "I am sorry," she apologized against her hand, which she brought close to her lips. "I just find it…very touching."

Jin was oblivious to the touch of longing in her tone when she spoke those words to him. He merely smiled back at her, moving his hand over to hers to grip onto the back of her hand tenderly. "Did the doctor say anything about Touya? Is he going to be okay?"

Before piper could hope to answer there came a knock at the door. "Come in," she beckoned softly from where she was sitting. The door opened to reveal the doctor putting everyone on edge as to what he had to say. "Doctor, is everything okay?"

The doctor merely nodded at Piper knowing it wasn't her opinion that mattered on the subject, but the wind demon's. "I haven't found out what is wrong yet, but I have a way of doing so. Before I carry that out, your friend would like to see you first."

Jin looked over at Piper as Piper did to Jin before the two eyed the doctor once more. "Is something the matter? What is it you have to do?" The wind master asked eagerly from where he was lying down, his fingers gripped tightly onto the bedcovers about his chest.

The doctor was hesitant to even say what he had to do to the wind demon's companion making him fidget nervously. "Well, whenever you're ready I can take you to him and have him explain the details to you."

The redheaded demon could tell the doctor was attempting to save himself from any bodily harm whatsoever at Jin's hands. Jin lowered his head slightly, gazing up at the doctor through his bangs. "You don't have to worry about me destroying you for bad news. I promise I am too tired to even consider it at this moment anyways."

It was hardly relaxing to hear the demon say it that way, but Dr. Sur'don coughed nervously into his fist considering his words wisely. "Well, your friend's symptoms baffle me, and I don't know what could possibly be the problem unless I…" Dr. Sur'don paused a moment, scratching the back of his head thinking of how to put it. "…unless I cut your friend open and take a direct look at his lungs."

"What!" Jin exclaimed, his baby blue eyes widening at the thought. "What if something goes wrong! Touya may be a demon, but he isn't immune to such things!"

Dr. Sur'don hunched over slightly, shaking his head at the demon's exclaims to him. "I am truly sorry, demon, but unless I do this, your friend is going to die slowly." With the wind demon still looking at him in shock and apparently speechless, he continued. "It is a long and difficult process to be honest, but it has to be done for me to know for sure what is wrong with him. With him being a demon, I have no doubt his recovery rate will be high." Dr. Sur'don didn't feel like telling Jin what the success rate of the operation was, hoping to avoid that entirely yet again.

Jin closed his eyes almost appearing in pain as he shook his head back and forth not wanting to accept that. Piper watched as he brought his hand up over his eyes to hide the fact that the beast would be caught crying. She gently grabbed onto his wrists only to have the demon fight against her. Pulling her hands back steadily, she rested her cheek against the wind demon's shoulder, rubbing his back for comfort.

"The ice demon wishes to see you before I go through with it," the doctor continued, motioning at the door. "Do you feel well enough to go now? The sooner we get this done, the better."

Piper felt need to ask him not to rush the hung-over demon only to hear Jin respond with a 'yes'. She looked worryingly over at him as he pulled his hands from his face. "Jin, are you sure you feel up to it?" Piper felt need to ask as the demon removed the covers from his body to get to his feet.

"I can make it," Jin assured as he stood with Piper's help as apparently he was still unable to walk well no thanks to the wine binge. When Piper insisted on helping him towards the door, the wind master raised his hand slightly with a shake of his hand. "I promise I am fine, dear."

Removing her hands from the wind demon's sides, she brought them close to her chest watching as he made it just fine to the door by himself. "Just be careful. That cure needs a longer period to work on you, Jin."

Jin gripped tightly onto the doorknob of the wooden door before managing a smile over at Piper. "I know. Thank you," was all he felt need to say before parting from the bedroom to make it to his icy companion.

The walls seemed to still want to move from him as Jin made his way throughout the underground village with his hand pressed against the cobblestone to prevent himself from falling over. "I can do this," he muttered to himself as he made it out into the hallway to find some of the villagers fleeing in fear of the wind demon. Jin rolled his eyes at their reaction as he picked up on Touya's scent, finding his way to the ice demon in the underground maze.

Touya was staring up at the ceiling while on his back, watching the shadows from the single lit candle dance before him. Hearing the door starting to open, he blinked down past his chest to watch as the handle slightly jostled before the door was slowly opened by the wind master. "Jin?" He inquired, pushing himself up off of the bed to watch as the skinny demon made his way into the bedroom belonging temporarily to Touya. "What are you doing here? Did that fool of a doctor relay the message to you when I told him to wait?"

Jin didn't say a thing to that as he hastily made his way over towards the demon he loved with his arms wide open to accept Touya there within his embrace. He fell to his knees upon making it to the side of Touya's bed, burying his face into his cold neck. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered breathlessly at the thought.

The ice demon was caught off guard by Jin's reaction leaving Touya there in surprise in his lover's hold before tightly hugging him in return. "I am fighting the best I can," Touya whispered honestly, moving his lips to Jin's neck to kiss him tenderly there.

"I don't want you to go through that surgery," Jin pleaded to Touya, holding the ice demon closer to his chest. Cupping the back of Touya's head, he swayed slightly with his partner.

Hearing those words, Touya sighed softly. "Jin, honestly, what choice do I have?" He pulled back from the tight hug to look seriously into Jin's eyes though the wind demon tried to avoid Touya's gaze. "The other alternative I have is to go home and just wait to die. Would you rather I do that or find some chance of surviving here?"

Jin's elfin ears faltered as he shook his head at the thought. The whole purpose of him coming to the Grassland village was to find Touya some help. It would have been all for nothing if he turned back now. He shook his head, causing his wild red hair to fly about his face almost hiding the sadness and worry he had for his love further. "No…I would rather you didn't die at all."

Touya reached his hand up to Jin's cheek to stroke the flesh tenderly before bringing his other hand up to do the same to the other cheek. It prompted Jin to look into his eyes finally. The ice master inched closer to Jin's lips, lidding his eyes the closer he got before kissing the lower lip of Jin to taste of his love. Tasting that addictive flavor of the wind demon's warm breath and saliva, Touya tilted his head and kissed Jin once more while wrapping his arms about the wind demon's strong neck.

Feeling that enticing kiss, Jin closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation raking through his body upon kissing Touya back. Sliding his tongue out to greet his icy companion's Jin scrubbed his over the cold, wet muscle of his lover's with a muffled moan upon their lips meeting once more. Pulling back from the kiss, Jin's breath could be seen upon the air given the uncontrollable chill Touya was emitting from his body. His hands scrolling down the chilly form of the ice master, Jin rested his cheek against Touya's. "I love you," he whispered hoarsely into Touya's ear.

Touya smiled wearily, keeping his arms about Jin's neck. "I love you too." Staying contently against Jin's chest, he felt as the wind demon boldly trailed his wandering hand down to his crotch making Touya widen his eyes in surprise. His icy fingers quickly grabbed onto Jin's wrist to stop him. "Don't," he insisted breathlessly. "Don't do that."

"Why not?" Jin wondered playfully, letting Touya think he had his wrists tightly. "Nobody is going to come in on us. They are scared of us."

A bright, irritated blush formed across the ice demon's face at Jin's words. "I am aware of that, but I don't find it appropriate regardless!" He whispered between the two of them.

Jin grinned widely, resting his lips close to Touya's ear as he reached back down to touch his lover's crotch yet again. "Don't freeze up on me now. I know you want it as much as I do."

Piper felt bad for what was going on pertaining to the two demon lovers as she made her way back to where Touya was being housed for the time being. Standing soon before the door, she was about to knock only to stop herself from the muffled sounds she could just make out from the other side. Her hand pressing against the wooden door, she moved in closer to the entrance to try and receive the sounds better. When she realized what was going on, she gasped softly to herself and turned away quickly with a bright blush set upon her face.

Sliding her fingers from her mouth, Piper bit her lower lip before resting her back against the door. _They are both lucky to have found one another. While embarrassed a part of me is…envious_. Her eyes shifting over towards the door behind her, she sighed and parted from the area.


	16. Chapter 16

Jin found himself curled up close to the sickened ice master in the same bed. His chin nuzzled upon the top of Touya's bi-colored hair, Jin rested his arm over his companion's bare body to feel of the subtle, cooling sensation his icy skin gave off. The arm he had resting upon Touya's side moved greatly upward for a moment when the ice master took in a deep breath before letting it out again as if to sigh. The motion caused Jin to open one eye before opening the other to check on his forbidden lover. Jin noticed that Touya was still soundly asleep and not showing any signs of pain whatsoever. A smile braced his lips with relief while petting the bare stomach of the ice demon.

A little while later, Piper decided to come back to the two demons she had hoped were finished with their rather personal time. She was still a little nervous to knock on the wooden door. After hesitantly pulling her hand from the door several times, Piper finally knocked her knuckles on the wooden entrance. "Jin? Touya? Can I come in?"

The pointed ears of the wind master twitched at the sounds emitting from beyond the doorway, causing him to raise his head and look over his shoulder at where it was coming from. He recognized the voice as Piper's. Jin wanted to decline her want to come in, but she knew that Piper was already aware of his relationship with Touya. "You can come in," Jin finally beckoned from where he was resting, regardless of the fact he was still under the covers naked.

Piper opened the door more than surprised to see the situation the two were in. "Oh-uh-sorry," she apologized, covering her eyes slightly with her hand as she turned her head. "I didn't know you two were…_**like**_ that."

Jin was confused by her words. "What do you mean 'like that'? Touya and I have always been in love with one another. You knew that," the demon answered with a tilt of his head.

"No, no," she said quickly with a shake of her hand, making it to the other side of the room to try and hide her bright red blush of embarrassment. "I meant…well, I heard you two kind of being—." Piper paused a moment wondering what to say without sounding like she was being a pervert, eavesdropping in on their times with one another. "—I heard you both having an intimate moment with one another, and I assumed you were finished and clothed."

"You don't have to be embarrassed," Jin assured her as he sat upright in bed. "I just won't come out from under the covers if that is okay with you."

"That would be nice," Piper said with relief as she found the courage to make her way over to the wicker stool still beside the bed. She ignored the wrinkles in her dress upon sitting down as she placed a few stacks of books in her lap. "Anyways, I brought some books for Touya and you."

Jin looked down at the still sleeping Touya before gazing back over at Piper. "He is still sleeping. I want him to rest up before the doctor comes back to poke and probe at him some more."

"That's alright then. I will just place the ones on Alma Kinan aside for now then." Piper divided the books at that moment, pulling the smaller stack closer to her. "Is it alright if we get started on you then? It will be awhile before the doctor sets foot back in here, so we have enough time." She witnessed Jin tilting his head to the side as if to wonder where the human doctor went to. "Oh, heh, I told him that you two needed to be alone for awhile and it was best not to interrupt. So do you still want to learn how to read?"

Jin remembered what Piper said about the benefits of learning how to do so by himself in the extreme case Touya became too ill to do it alone. Even though he knew Touya was aware of his literary problems, Jin was relieved all the same that his companion was fast asleep for the time being, so the ice master wouldn't be awake to see the embarrassing process. "Alright, I guess we can get started now then."

"Wonderful," said Piper as she pulled out a book for younger children to see what reading level he was at. She opened the colorful book to the first page to hand over to the wind master. "Start reading until you can't understand the words anymore."

Taking the book into his possession, Jin's eyes skimmed over the large print with a raise of his brows. "I…" He paused for a moment trying to make sense of some of the words he often spoke but never saw written before him. "Let's see…. 'I went to the'…that is all I recognize on this page. "

Piper flinched at how little he actually knew. She could see Jin was embarrassed at admitting that aloud to anybody. "Okay then, well we at least know where to start then, don't we?" Scooting closer to the wind demon, she pointed to the word he stopped at to try and get him to pronounce it. Piper worked with Jin well throughout the night to help him get a bit further in his reading. Jin was just like a little child somewhat eager to learn something new. It kept her calm throughout the evening.

The doctor eventually made his way back through the Chisha Clan's halls to make it to Touya's bedroom a few hours later. He was hesitant to knock just as anybody else was, but he did so regardless to get the answer to the question he asked the ice master earlier. "Touya, are you in there? Is somebody in there?"

Piper quickly looked up from the book she had in her possession in attempts to help Jin read. She closed it and hid it under the stack she had. "Hurry up and get dressed," the woman whispered eagerly to Jin. Piper witnessed as Jin nodded before bothering to get out of bed once her back was turned. Her dainty hand touching the doorknob of the wooden door, Piper opened it to peek outside of the cracked door. "Give them just a second, doctor. They are still discussing their options."

Dr. Sur'don sighed a bit, crossing his arms over his chest. He couldn't imagine what could possibly be taking them so long to talk about the surgery he was ready to perform already.

Closing the door, Piper turned back to face Jin who was at least in pants. "Wake up the ice demon," she instructed. "The doctor wants to perform this soon, and he needs to know when he can."

Jin didn't want to talk about that situation again or even think about it. His pointed ears faltered as he reached over to Touya to start shaking him awake. "Touya, I need you to wake up."

Touya moaned softly before batting his eyes open. "J-Jin…?" He called softly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes to gaze up over his shoulder at the towering wind demon. "What time is it?" Upon his sight settling and putting every image clearly into place, he saw Piper there within the room. Touya froze up and panicked at the woman being there with him obviously undressed. "How did she get in here!" He wanted to know in a high whisper.

"Sorry, Touya," Jin apologized, making it to his side. "Don't mind her. She didn't see anything." Sighing through his nostrils, he sat upon the ice master's bedside. "So, back to the question at hand…do you really want to go through with this surgery?"

Touya brought his knees to his chest with a careful nod. "Yes, because I have no other options." He looked up at the worried wind master. "Jin, I have to do this. If I don't, you would have done all of this for nothing, and I don't want that to be put to waste."

Jin ran his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. He did do a lot for the sake of finding a cure for his beloved, but Jin didn't expect to possibly lose his companion in the process. Lowering his head, he hesitantly nodded at Touya's decision. "Alright…alright," he mumbled, getting up from the stool he was upon. "I will step aside and let you do it then." Jin leaned forwards to kiss the ice master tenderly upon the forehead. He let the kiss linger a moment before pulling back to be escorted towards the wall via Piper so the doctor wouldn't feel cornered by the demons.

"You can come in now, doctor," Piper called from where she stood near the bookcase within the room.

Dr. Sur'don opened the door slowly to allow himself inside to find both of the demons there. His fear was expressed clearly on his face as he backed up towards the bed where the patient was slowly. "It is good to see them…**both** here," he stuttered through his clinched teeth.

Jin sighed, shaking his head as he placed his hands upon his hips. "Just please, treat Touya. His life is the only one I care about." With that said, Piper instructed Jin to move outside so that the doctor wouldn't freeze up in his work. The wind master exited the room, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in hopes he would get rid of the pain of worry swelling within his stomach.

Piper was relieved more than anything that Jin didn't threaten the doctor as she watched him leave. She fidgeted slightly, making her way to Dr. Sur'don. "I know you can do this. I'll be keeping the wind master in another bedroom." Piper turned around and headed for the door to leave the two alone for as long as it would take to have the surgery.

"Thanks," the doctor said with relief as he turned to the ice master. "Hey-umm-uh-_Touya_!" He was relieved he remembered the ice demon's name. "So have you decided?"

Touya raised his brow at the doctor having difficulty remember his name. He released a sigh through his nostrils as he kept his knees to his chest. "Yes, and I have decided with Jin that I am going to go through with it."

The doctor reached into his pocket to pull out a vile filled with greenish liquid. "Then I need you to drink this." He handed it over to the curious demon. "In less than a minute, you will be rendered unconscious. You will be asleep until this surgery is finished."

"It works that quickly, hu?" said Touya as he looked from the liquid to the doctor. "Are you sure it will work with me having a stronger system than humans?"

Dr. Sur'don kept forgetting that Touya was indeed a demon. A part of him wanted to pretend that it was all some dream of his. "Okay, maybe for a demon it might take a little bit longer to soak in. I guess we won't know unless you actually take it."

Touya shrugged as he took the top off. "I guess bottoms up then." Drinking all of it, Touya took a breath afterwards. The aftertaste soon kicking in, he flinched from the agony of it while handing it back over to the doctor. "Ugh-**GAH**-what _**IS**_ that stuff?"

He looked off to the side with a twist of his mouth. "I guess the taste is unanimous," he mumbled mostly to himself. "Some herbs, which can be found about the Grasslands, mashed together."

"It is gross!" Touya complained, wiping his mouth. After his complaint, Touya could feel his body threatening to shut down into a deep sleep. He placed his hand on his forehead. "I think that nasty stuff is starting to work…!"

"Lie down then," Dr. Sur'don instructed. "When you wake up, we will know where to go when it comes to your condition." Just as he instructed, Touya lied down upon the bed to succumb to the power of the medicine he was given. The doctor made sure that Touya was completely unconscious before bothering to move his team from within the hallway into the bedroom. "Let's get started, shall we?" He said, motioning for them to hurry on inside.

Jin was helped back to his bedroom he was offered to sit upon one of the wooden chairs to place his head in his hands. "These coming hours are going to be hard," he muttered miserably to himself.

Piper sat upon the chair opposite to Jin with worry equal to his own. "Jin, I understand it is going to be hard, but in the mean time we can work on your reading." She pulled the books she had placed on the table around them into her lap. "It will keep your mind occupied, and you will be one step closer to being able to read on your own."

"I guess so," Jin sighed as his pointed ears faltered.

The woman opened the book she had previously back to the page they were working on. "Now, let's try this again. Afterwards, you can go outside and find some flowers Touya might like." She gently placed her hand on top of Jin's that was resting within the wind master's lap. "Demons do like flowers, don't they?"

The question made Jin smile a bit. "Touya does."

"Alright then," she said with a smile. "After a few pages from this book, I will show you where some of the best ones grow." Piper opened the book to the last page she remembered going over with Jin. "Now, let's try this again."

The two worked on the reading book for hours. Throughout the process, Jin found himself getting tired, and he expressed it clearly with a stretch and loud yawn. It was rather late, but Jin was trying to stay up long enough to see if Touya was going to be alright. He massaged his forehead with a heavy sigh. "I cannot believe I am falling asleep already."

"Well, it is rather late," Piper said as she closed the book. "Why don't you go to bed?" She witnessed as Jin was about to refuse. Piper frowned with worry as Jin looked away from her as if to ignore the suggestion. "Jin, you really should."

"I want to be awake when Touya's surgery is finished," Jin insisted almost irritably. He could tell that his tone frightened Piper a little bit. "Sorry."

The young Chisha woman breathed out her relief that he wasn't mad at her. "Jin, your friend is going to be okay." Piper excused herself from her seat to help Jin stand. "I will tell you what, if any urgent news comes up on Touya, I will let you know right away."

The wind master sat down upon the side of the bed temporarily belonging to him. "Does this mean you're going to stay up all night long?"

Piper smiled down at the demon, placing her hand on his right shoulder. "I promise that I will. I will stay up all night long if I have to just to make sure he is okay." She helped Jin get under the covers at that moment, bringing them up to his chest. "You get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Piper," Jin yawned once more as he turned his back to her to get in a comfortable position. "Goodnight and I will see you tomorrow."

Picking up the candle upon the table, Piper made her way to the door. "Goodnight, Jin," she said in return though mostly to herself. Her warm smile turning into a saddened frown, she sighed softly before closing the door behind her. _Touya is lucky to have somebody like you_, she thought. _I often find myself envious of him_. Fixing the hat she often wore in the clan that covered her head, Piper picked up the hem of her dress and headed to her room for the moment.

Jin couldn't find it within himself to sleep peacefully that night. His mind swarmed with the thoughts of the past when he didn't have to worry over Touya's health. He could feel the icy kiss from the ice master no thanks to his vivid dreams as he saw himself kissing Touya upon the lips in a loving gesture. The peaceful and loving times he had with his companion flashed in random sequences within his mind causing him to stir slightly.

"_You won't leave me, will you?"_ Jin could remember himself asking as the images continued to flood his mind up to the point the two were back to back, fighting together during a mission they were given. The images seemed to speed up, slow down, or go in reverse the more he concentrated on them.

"_I love you too much to let you go,"_ Touya's voice echoed within the wind master's mind as he watched his forbidden lover remove the black mask down off of the slope of his nose to reveal his face and to kiss Jin upon his mouth lovingly.

The reminiscing his mind was going through seemed to halt as Jin saw himself resting his cheek upon the ice demon's bi-colored hair with a fanged smile upon his face. The scenery was peaceful to him as the two of them appeared to be gazing out beyond the harbor just outside of the inn they were staying within at Vinay Del Zexay. However, the ground soon began to tremble causing the waves to suddenly wash up and grasp onto the ice master as if it was alive.

Everything turned to darkness around them both as Jin watched helplessly with his ears faltered in worry at witnessing some unknown force grasp onto the man he loved. Touya flinched as he struggled about within the dark, which started to slowly engulf him. _"__**JIN!**__"_ The ice master yelled trying to reach for him only to have the blackness steadily cover his body.

"_**TOUYA!**__"_ Jin cried out as he quickly used the wind currents to make it to the frightened ice demon. He reached for Touya's hand to try and pull him from the spreading darkness only to lose the one he loved within the thick cloud. With Touya lost and the darkness everywhere now in Jin's mind, the wind master found himself panicking as he looked everywhere for the one he loved. _"Touya! Touya!"_ He cried out in obvious pain.

The thought of losing him entirely caused Jin to quickly wake up in a cold sweat. Realizing it was all just a dream, Jin wiped his face with the palm of his hand before finding his feet on the cold floor below him. "I wonder what time it is." Seeing as Jin didn't really undress for bed, he made his way out into the hallway of the underground Grassland village as he was.

Some of the villagers within the many halls were still shocked to see the wind demon out once more. The women and children showed their fear while the men tried to stay tall and express their annoyance at the fact he was still around. It bothered Jin little. He only had one person on his mind as he ascended the staircase to make it out of the hut and into the sunshine.

"It is morning." Jin remembered what Piper said the night before about flowers. He thought about what kind at first to get Touya with his index finger tapping the corner of his mouth. "I'll be right back," he whispered on the wind before taking flight towards the woodlands up ahead.

The wind was welcoming to the wind master as he glided deep within the woods, searching for the right flower type Touya loved. He watched carefully over the passing scenery before finally finding a large bed of the ones he was hoping to find. A smile spread across his face as he landed within the flowerbed. "Iris flowers—Touya loves these." The Iris flowers he found where a wide verity of blue and violet hues making him think of the ice master as he plucked the first one.

As he continued to gather a few for a large bouquet he was hoping to give to his beloved, a rustling in the bushes caught his attention rather quickly. "Who's there?" He asked defensively as he narrowed his eyes at the shrubs, which had moved earlier. For awhile all that came was the peaceful chirping of the birds. Jin still wasn't sure about dropping his guard. A part of him felt as though he was being watched suddenly, but he pried his focus off of the feeling and went back to plucking the Iris flowers lain out about him.

Piper paced nervously about the outside of the door leading into the now operation room for Touya. She had promised the wind demon, no matter how tired she was to get, that any news of Touya's health would go from her to him. Piper was, however, unaware that Jin was awake and now out flower picking. "What is taking so long?" She wondered impatiently aloud, cupping her hands together as if she were praying.

With the door soon creaking open, Piper stopped her nervous pacing. One of the nurses aiding the doctor appeared before the young village woman. She removed the cloth covering her mouth and nose to show there within her relieved smile that everything was okay. "He just needs to rest for awhile to regain his strength," the nurse explained regardless. "He will be okay…for the moment." The nurse's smiled faltered into a frown of worry causing Piper's to as well.

"What-what do you mean?" Piper inquired whilst wrinkling her brow.

"He has a rather abnormal tissue growing about his lung area," the nurse sighed, rubbing her hands with worry. "Whatever it is, it is growing over his lung area, restricting his breathing." She watched as Piper turned away feeling awful for Touya's condition. "We don't know how to remove it without severely hurting him or worse, killing him."

"So he is just going to lie there and die?" Piper felt helpless at that moment as she bit nervously upon her knuckles.

"Dr. Sur'don is going to try some medical mixtures that might help. For something this big, I don't know if we will have a cure in time." The nurse didn't want to announce such news to Piper, but it was better than telling the wind demon himself whom she so rightly feared. "But we will try as hard as possible to find what may help ease his pain."

Piper merely nodded as the nurse headed back into the room to help the doctor. "I guess I better go tell Jin. At least Touya made it through the night." She grabbed onto her cotton dress to keep it out of her way as she made it back to the room Jin was resting within. With the hallways lined with lit scones at this time, Piper didn't worry about the used candle in her free hand. She discarded it off to the side of the door upon arriving at Jin's bedroom. "Jin," she called as she knocked. "I have news about your friend." She waited a moment to hear nothing coming from the other side. "Jin, are you there?"

When no response came, Piper opened the door and allowed herself inside to find the room completely empty. The covers on the bed were thrown back to show nobody was asleep under the blankets. She hurried over to the bedside to find no traces of the demon at all. "He is gone?" Piper looked at the circular table in the middle of the room unable to find a note or anything. "The least he could have done was leave a letter or something."

Piper thought on where Jin could have gone before remembering him agreeing to gathering flowers for when Touya was to awaken after surgery. "That has to be where he went." Her fingers wrapped back about the fabric of her dress before she scurried up the stone staircase to make it outside into the early morning light. She found the griffon Jin would use on occasion instead of his wind powers nearby, eating a bit of fruit a young village boy didn't mind sharing with the wild beast. _I guess he used his wind powers this time_, Piper thought as she touched her lower lip with her index finger. Just as she was about to take off after the wind master, the wind currents about her began to swirl and become aggressive causing her to bring her arms up to block the dirt and such flying for her face.

Jin landed soon after the abrasive currents settled, holding an assortment of Iris flowers he managed to gather within the woods. "What is it Piper? Were you looking for me?" He could tell the young woman was looking rather eager about something. Jin couldn't help but worry a bit about what was possibly going on with his lover.

"Oh, Jin," she said with relief, fixing her hat, which was nearly blow from her head. Her dainty fingers balanced the piece and center it back upon hair carefully. "I have news of Touya. The good news is he survived the surgery. He is down below in the village resting right now."

"Does this mean there is bad news too?" Jin wondered somberly as he kept the flowers close to his chest.

Piper folded her hands before her lap as she made her way over to the worried demon. "I am sorry, Jin, but nobody knows what to do about this condition." She could see the pain there in the wind master's expression. It hurt her heart to even stare at him at that moment. "Let us not give up hope yet. If he managed to survive that operation, I have no doubt he will beat this too."

Jin's worried frown turned serious as he gazed off to the side with his nose wrinkled in thought. "Where is he? Is he still in bed? I want to see him."

"He is trying to rest up—!" Piper was unable to explain further as Jin hurried past her and to the closest entrance into the Chisha's underground Village. "Wait a second!" She pleaded while following quickly behind him. Jin refused to listen to her. He was obviously eager to see Touya no matter what. "Jin, you have to let your partner rest. If he doesn't get his sleep, he won't feel well!"

"Can't I have at least one moment with him?" Jin wanted to know angrily through his clinched teeth. He stared down the woman following behind him long and hard wanting to be left alone to do as he pleased. "If there is no cure…if there is truly no cure for him, then I don't know when he might take his last breath. I don't want to be sitting around like a fool only to have news that he died without me there." Tears started to shine within the demon's eyes though Jin tried so hard to fight to urge to cry at such a realization that he may lose his beloved.

Piper felt defeated. She knew it was best for Touya to rest, but Jin was so desperate to make sure everything was going to be okay. "Let me talk to the doctor then. With the feelings you have rushing through you right now you may snap at him and scare everyone within the room. Come with me."

Jin followed behind Piper back to Touya's bedroom. He waited at the end of the hallway leading to the door, which housed the other demon, while keeping the flowers within his hands. From where he stood, he witnessed as the door opened to reveal one of the nurses on duty at the moment to watch over the recovering ice master. His pointed ears twitched as he caught the conversation going on between them. He tried to pretend he wasn't listening, but Jin had such a sad poker face. He heard the young nurse finally cave in and allow Jin to come in if that was his desire making his elfin ears fly forwards.

"Tell him he can only stay ten minutes. If that ice demon doesn't get any sleep, he will not recover so nicely," she said to Piper.

Piper nodded as she waved Jin over. "Don't worry. I will make sure he is out soon." When Jin was by her side, she warned him, "You may only have ten minutes in there. After that, Touya needs to work on recovering."

"Alright, thank you." Jin allowed himself inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He made his way over to the empty wicker stool still resting at Touya's bedside. Touya appeared to still be drugged up from the medicine he was forced to take earlier so he wouldn't feel a thing during the surgery. He was bandaged heavily about the chest from where he had been cut open and his ribs broken to get to the lungs, which were ailing him. Jin reached over and placed his hand upon Touya's forehead to massage the lukewarm skin of the ice master.

Touya felt the touch causing him to stir from his drugged educed slumber. His eyes opening partially, he moaned in discomfort. "Jin…?" He wondered wearily. His narrow eyes managed to find the wind master sitting there beside him. "Jin, so it is you…"

"Yeah," he whispered in return while continuing to pet Touya. "How do you feel?"

The ice master groaned at having to focus on his pain once more. "Lousy," he answered groggily. "The doctor gave me some medicine to take so my pain will leave me, but it only tones it down a little bit."

Jin pulled the bouquet of flowers from his lap to show to Touya. "I picked these for you. I thought you might like them."

Touya couldn't register what they were at first given how heavy the medicine was that he was forced to take before and after the surgery. When he realized what kinds of flowers they were, he smiled. "Are those Iris flowers?"

"Yes, I found some in the forest nearby." Jin knew that Touya was too tired to even consider holding them. He got up from his seat to grab an empty vase to put them in before putting it upon the nightstand close to the ice demon. "I'll get water for them later."

"I am surprised you remember that," Touya mumbled softly as he closed his eyes. He found it too bothersome to keep his eyes open given how heavy they were feeling all of a sudden. "I didn't think you'd remember Iris flowers were my favorites."

Jin grinned a bit. "I know a lot of things about you. I've been with you for many years. I couldn't forget even the smallest details of your life." He reached over to place his hand upon Touya's. "I was only allowed a short time in here, so I guess I better go now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I will…be fine…" Touya's voice seemed to drift off a bit to show he was ready to rest once more. When he turned his head to the side, Jin knew that he fell back asleep.

Sighing softly to himself, Jin got up and leaned over to kiss Touya upon the cheek before burying his nose there briefly. "I love you," he spoke softly. "Please get better." He didn't want to bother Touya further at this point. Jin looked down at his companion's pitiful disposition before finally having the strength to leave the room.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Author's Notes**_: Sorry for not updating this one. I put it on a mini-hiatus to try and get further in the others even thought, by my standards, it is closer to being completed of my three stories.

**Raistlin Windblade** let me use her poem Moonlit Sky in this chapter, so all credits to the poem goes to her. I was being a lazy butt and didn't feel like sitting down to actually think of my own poem. I promise in the future that won't happen again. :P

Here is the next chapter!

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Piper waited outside for Jin to return, relieved to see him soon appear even if he looked quite upset. Her dress flared out behind her as she hurried towards the wind demon to pull him from the room as she knew it was crucial for Touya to get the sleep he needed. "Do not worry, Jin," said Piper tenderly as she escorted him down the underground halls. "Touya is going to be alright."

Jin looked down at the young Chisha woman. "I wish I could feel as confident as you, human. After hearing what is possibly wrong with him, I have to say my hope has abandoned me."

Sighing somberly, Piper helped Jin back to his bedroom knowing the demon was possibly not in the mood to be around others; especially those that didn't understand him. She opened the door to help Jin on inside before coming on in herself. Piper closed the door, watching as Jin made it to the circular table to sit down and rest his forehead against his fingers. Folding her hands before her dress, she made it to the redhead's side. "Jin," she began, placing one of her hands upon his shoulders, "do not abandon hope. If you do so, who is going to keep Touya's hope alive?"

The wind demon didn't say anything about her comments though he knew she was right. He tapped his fingers against the woodwork of the table, watching as the flame before him flickered about from any movement in the room.

Piper invited herself to sit down diagonal to Jin upon the free chair. "How about we go ahead and get started on your reading lessons a bit more?" She thought dividing his attention might be useful. "Or I could get you something to eat. You do eat vegetables and fruits too, right?"

Jin pulled his hand down from his face to nod at Piper. "As I've told people before, I don't eat humans. I will eat anything that is put in front of me, but I have to have small portions."

"But-you're so thin as is," Piper felt need to point out as she nervously held onto his arm, which was closest to her. "You could afford to eat a bit more than you do."

The wind master chortled softly to himself at what Piper had to say to him. "I am a wind master, love. I need to be thin to fly. If I get fat, I cannot lift off of the ground. It makes it difficult for me to fly at a certain weight level."

"Well, let me get you something to eat even if I have to bring a whole bunch of food here before you." She got up to head over to the bookcase to pull the books she had shelved to put before the demon. "If you want, you can try reading some of these in the mean time." Piper pulled one of the books towards him as she was knelt down to his level. "I'll be right back." Spontaneously, she planted a kiss upon the demon's cheek before realizing what she did, she thought nothing of it until getting to her feet quickly to nervously step back towards the door. "I am-I umm-I will be right back."

Jin watched her closely as she hurried out of the bedroom. Still feeling the dampness of her kiss, he reached up to his cheek to rub it slightly. "Humans sure are weird creatures," he mumbled to himself as he opened the book she pushed towards him.

Piper rested her back up against the door realizing what she just did. Her fingers touching her lips, she managed to pry herself from the entranceway behind her to make it down to the bar area to get the wind master something to eat. As she was heading there, Sana watched from the underground village as Piper scurried to her destination.

"You spend so much time with that demon," Sana felt need to point out to catch Piper's attention. She watched as the young woman stopped quickly in her tracks upon hearing the High Chief's voice. "I understand that you feel for them both as I do, but it is wise to be cautious around something so wild."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Chief Sana," Piper stuttered as she tried to hide her embarrassment in the dimly lit halls.

"Sweetheart," Sana began with a heavy sigh, "if you get too close to either one of them, you may find yourself regretting it. Don't put your heart on the line for these creatures. No matter what happens, I sense they are bound to leave us."

Piper took the chief's words too much to heart, causing her to hurry away from the leader of the clan. Holding onto her dress, she made her way to the tavern area of the underground village. A few of the clan men were relaxing at the many tables about the space. She soon stood before the wooden surface of the bar, waiting for the maiden behind it to turn to her. "Excuse me," Piper called upon clearing her throat.

The bar maiden put down the glass she was cleaning to make her way over to Piper with a smile. "Hey, Piper, what can I help you with?"

She remembered the wind master's words about how he only ate so little. Rolling her teeth over her lower lip, she tapped her nails against the carpentry beneath them. "You know what, I am going to need a big order."

Jin continued trying to read the books given to him, only able to make out some of the words. He never realized how he was always reminded of Touya at that moment. Each time he had a hard time trying to pronounce a word, he wanted to turn to the ice demon to ask for help. Regardless of this, he continued to pass through the pages, coming to the point he only wanted to stare at the illustrations before recognizing a word he had often seen before 'Runes'. "A chapter again on the runes, I see," he murmured mostly to himself as he continued to pass through the pages. Jin already knew a great deal about the runes out there, including his own rare one that over powered all wind runes. His baby blue eyes skimming over the rune titles of major and minor runes, he came across another familiar one: 'true water rune'.

The wind master sighed as he could only look at the pictures for measure. It showed an ink scribble of the true rune and then another of one of the human villages supposedly having it in their possession. "I wish I could find that rune again…it could possibly cure Touya's illness." His elfin ears twitched at the sound of the doorknob being turned. Jin put down the book in his possession to watch as the wooden door opened to reveal Piper with a rather heavy plate or two filled with food. She was balancing the tray as if she were a waitress. "Umm, Piper, I do hope some of that food is for you."

"Now, now," began Piper as she made it over to the table to place some of it before Jin, "don't be that way. I am sure it'll be in your best interest to at least eat a decent meal once in your life." She showed off the deer meat and the fruits and vegetables lining the plate with a bit of bread to the wind demon. "Come on. Just live a little bit and have a nice, big meal on me."

Jin turned his mouth to the side, finding the deer meat to look quite appealing. "Alright, I guess one big meal couldn't hurt me too much." Without bothering to use any utensils whatsoever, Jin grabbed onto the deer meat to tear right into it eagerly as he hadn't eaten much lately. When he caught the expression of surprise on Piper's face, he swallowed the meat in his mouth before speaking. "Sorry, I am so used to eating around Touya and anything he used to get for me. I am still getting used to being the wife of the relationship while he is sick. I guess manners are supposed to come with that?"

"Well, they do help," Piper said as she cleared her throat with a brief chuckle. "So what book were you looking at?" Her delicate fingers graced the pages of the book Jin was gazing upon, finding the chapter on the True Water Rune. "Oh, the true runes. It is rare you will find those. They are supposedly just a legend."

"A legend?" Jin grabbed onto his weapon to show off the blade where the True Wind Rune was placed. "I have the True Wind Rune."

Piper widened her eyes at the rune she had often heard was just a myth to see it finally in person before furrowing her brow in confusion. "I still don't understand why you have that to begin with," she remarked, recalling him mentioning him having it in the story he told of about his past. "Don't wind demons have wind powers when they're born?"

"Well, I am born with wind powers," Jin clarified as he put his weapon back where he had it kept upon the chair next to him. "The True Wind Rune just amplifies them and gives me new abilities I could otherwise not teach myself." Thinking about Touya, Jin sighed to himself as he looked off to the side. "I wish I could find Touya's True Water Rune. If I could find where it went, I might be able to save him."

Looking back at the words within the book, Piper skimmed over a few to read where the rune was said to be. "I am afraid these books won't be able to tell you much of anything, Jin. They were written to say that the True Water Rune was said to once reside within the icy regions of this area. I am sure it did, and Touya was the one to find it. Nobody expected it to be real."

"The True Runes are many years old, Piper," Jin explained with a slight motion of his hands. "Hell, they are possibly even centuries old!"

Piper turned the page a few times to make it to the first page. "Then it was probably his parents or ancestors or somebody that had the rune and passed it down to him. What about your rune? Didn't your parents give it to you?"

"My human parents were killed in war years ago, and I died that day too when our house caught on fire and the roof collapsed on top of me and my mother," said Jin as he looked at the titles of the other books. "I was damned that day and centuries later, I was reborn a half-demon thanks to my father and my mother coming together. I didn't think of my demonic father as my father. He was just my guardian who was training me to be an assassin. When I surpassed his knowledge and became the leader of the guards of the wind tribe, I was given the True Wind Rune. I am sure when Touya became leader of the guards as well, he was given his rune too." Jin managed a smile as he scratched an annoying itch on the back of his head. "Anyways, Touya may wake sometime soon, and I would like to be able to read him something."

Piper giggled against the back of her hand as she ate a few grapes from a plate she decided to take from. "Well, Jin, it isn't exactly going to happen over night." She closed the book that Jin had been eyeing, shaking her finger at him before opening another book that had a few poetry lines within it. "Does Touya like poetry? I am not sure, but he did seem to like flowers. I am guessing he likes feminine things."

Jin couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh for once. "Are you saying that he is a woman in a man's body? Ya know, if he heard you say something like that, he wouldn't be too pleased." He moved a bit closer to Piper to get a better look at the words. "But, aye, he does like poetry and some feminine things." He chuckled having to be reminded of that phrase again.

"Oh, umm, well then," Piper coughed as she heard the wind demon say that. "I'll make sure I don't say that around him." She looked over at the redhead with a smile. "Are you ready? I can give you some tips and have you try to read as well. It might make some things go a bit faster."

"I am ready," Jin answered with a nod.

"Alright, let's see if we can get you to remember this poem for him when you see him again." Piper pointed at the first line to read it to the wind demon before breaking down the sentence and each word as slowly as possible so Jin could understand it.

Touya remained asleep throughout the coming hours, though he soon found his pain returning from the surgery he underwent. Flinching in his slumber, he began to grunt in agony before voicing it with a loud cry. It caused the nurse watching over the ice demon to wake suddenly as she was sleeping in the same room. Touya panted heavily as he began to sweat from the immense pain his body was stabbing him, his throat was hurting especially from every time he breathed.

"Oh my," the nurse inhaled sharply as she hurried over towards the ice master. "Oh, you need your medicine." She hastily ran over towards the medicine rack the doctor brought with him to find the right vile filled with the pain medicine the ice master would need. "Here," she insisted in a hurried tone, making it back over to Touya. "Just drink this and you'll—!"

The demon grabbed onto her wrist tightly to cause her to drop the vile in her hands. "I don't want medicine!" He growled through his clenched teeth angrily from the tenderness. "I just want this to be **OVER**!"

The nurse looked down at the demon terrified as she tried to escape his grasp. Once she managed to pull her wrist free, she hurried to the door to have the doctor open it in time to find the demon acting incredibly angry. "I don't know what is wrong, doctor!" She exclaimed as she stood by his side. "He was in pain, and I tried to get him to take the medicine to relieve it, but he got so livid!"

Furiously, Touya's eyes began to glow an icy blue as he created his freezing hell barrier about the room, covering everything within the room with a hard, slippery layer of ice. Dr. Sur'don stepped back, allowing the ice demon to continue his tirade, but he was still incredibly worried about his condition.

"If he was in pain, he is just making it worse by exerting so much power!" Dr. Sur'don explained as he watched from a safe distance as the ice master kept his boundaries up. "He needs medicine now, and he needs to settle!" With that said, he rushed towards the bedroom where the wind demon resided. He pushed open the door to allow himself inside. "Wind demon, you must come quickly!"

Jin spun around to look at the doctor in worry. "What is it? What is wrong?" He asked as he got up from his seat.

"The ice demon has thrown a tantrum over his situation and caused a freezing barrier about the room," he explained breathlessly in panic. "I cannot get to him, and he needs his medicine if he is to have the soreness go away. Without it, he is just making things much worse than they are!"

Hearing this, Jin quickly got out the door and down to where his lover was suffering. He made it to the entrance to find that it was indeed frozen over by Touya's powers. Spying the ice master at the bed in such an enraged trance, he gasped at the sight. "Touya…!"

"Go in there and subdue him!" The nurse pleaded as she shivered from the chilly breeze emanating from the bedroom.

Jin continued to look out at the sight with his mouth open until finding the ability to walk into the room to face his companion. The chill in the area was awful and deadly itself as it would seem to slice through even a demon's skin just by having it caress him. He made it up to where Touya was sitting in pain. Kneeling down upon the freezing icy ground, he shook the ice master best he could. "Touya, Touya snap out of it! Touya, it is me! It is Jin!" He called to the entranced demon. Taking his hand, he slapped Touya across the face to break his concentration at the very least.

Touya felt the slap, causing him to blink several times to regain his usual eyesight once more and to lower his power. Panting heavily, his throat hurt him with each breath. "J-Jin…it hurts…!" He whimpered through his teeth as he tried to suppress the feelings racing through him. "My chest up…! I feel awful…make it stop!" Touya yelled. Being a demon he had never felt such pain before in his body, making him nearly go mad.

Jin raised his hands as if to try and get the ice master to lower his voice. "Calm down, my love," he pleaded before looking over at the nurse. "What medicine were you going to give him?"

The nurse stuttered a bit as she pointed towards the medicine rack. "It is the green vile on the far right! Give him that and his pain should be taken care of in a few minutes," she insisted through her chattering teeth as everything was still frozen over.

Making it over to where the medicine was being kept, Jin found it all to be frozen over. Rearing his fist back, he smashed the coat of ice upon it to get to what he needed. "Here, drink this," Jin urged eagerly as he supported Touya's neck, placing the vile upon his lips. "It'll make it all stop; trust me."

Touya accepted the medicine from Jin, knowing he was somebody he could trust. The taste unacceptable to him, the ice shinobi cringed and shook about having it roll over his taste buds. Coughing a bit from the shock of the taste, he attempted to settle though the extreme tenderness was still very much in his body. "It still hurts…!"

Jin rested his lips upon Touya's forehead, kissing him there with a worried expression. "Just give it a few minutes. You know how weak human medicine can sometimes be." As Touya was trying to relax, the ice barrier soon melted away, leaving the room the temperature it was before. Jin petted his beloved's head tenderly while gazing over at the frightened humans. He could smell their fear miles away. "It is alright. He is fine now."

"My goodness," Dr. Sur'don began with a raise of his brows. "I didn't expect him to act so violently to pain. I thought demons were used to such things being warriors."

"We are," said Jin as he looked over at his trembling lover. "But, the pain varies and sometimes only lasts for a little while." He closed his eyes before gazing up at the doctor with almost pity. "You cut open his body to see what was wrong, and he is suffering through horrible pain spasms because of the surgery. To have the inside of him actually touched, poked, and even cut at—it caused such agonizing hurt that not even he is used to. You nearly drove him mad!"

"Jin, he wanted this," the doctor explained with a shrug. "What was I to do if he wanted to please your efforts so much as to accept this? I couldn't deny him the operation." He walked closer to Jin though rather nervously to place his hand upon the wind master's shoulder. "Besides, the pain will soon be over in a week. We just have to give him that medicine regularly."

Jin grumbled slightly at the human's ignorance to demons. "You better make a lot of it then. He doesn't seem to be taking this medicine very well. His body is only taking a vile of that stuff to last for a few hours, if even that. I don't think you'd want him going crazy on you both again, would you?"

Dr. Sur'don nodded in agreement. "I will do so. He has been having pain in weird intervals compared to humans I have treated." The doctor looked down upon Touya with a worried frown. "I also have a few possible cures for his lung problems. I want him to start trying it when he is feeling better and on his feet. We will use each cure for a month, and if there are no improvements, I will have to move on to the next one."

"Whatever you say," Jin sighed as he turned his attention back to Touya. He continued to stroke the head of the ice master, trying to lull him back to sleep as he rested his chin upon the side of the bed to watch him closely. "I'll just stay right here until he falls back asleep. He is still suffering right now."

The nurse wanted to disagree but the doctor was quick to stop her. "Go right ahead. I'll be making a few cures for him to try." Placing his hand upon the nurse's back, he escorted her out of the room.

Touya began to breathe steadily, finding the agony his body went through to be lessened now. "It is feeling a bit better than before," he panted.

Jin smiled up at the ice demon, wiping his forehead a little to be rid of the cold perspiration. "You shouldn't have done that. You know how easily humans scare." He grabbed onto the covers that were on Touya to pull up to his chest, kissing the ice master on the lips he found to have been dulled from his lover fighting to stay alive. "You're still so warm," Jin whispered on his lips. "Are you feeling alright? I know if your temperature drops, you'll be in bigger trouble."

Being an ice demon, Touya had to be constantly cold. If he ever got any warmer, he would start throwing up and feeling incredibly weak. Touya looked over at Jin out of the corner of his eye for a moment, taking in a deep breath with a nod. "My body is just trying to adjust to this. My temperature isn't any cause for concern."

Jin thought about the poetry book Piper had taught him a few things with. "Oh, I have something for you." He pulled out the book he had in his keeping to open to one of the poems Piper had taught him to read. "I found this one that reminds me of you that you may like. Here, I can read it to you. It is called Moonlit Sky."

_Casting its beauty_

_Upon the golden sky,_

_Clouds glow in the dusk_

_As I look into your alluring icy eyes._

_With harmony the ocean cries_

_The sun is fading away._

_The water shimmers_

_In a crystal display._

_While the darkness_

_Of night flows into the day,_

_A symbol of love_

_You take from my hand;_

_A rose colored red_

_and we lay in the sand._

_I whisper I love you_

_With waves crashing on shore._

_To breathe the cool air off your lips_

_As you softly tell me I'm yours;_

_Our hearts have found peace_

_Under the moonlit sky,_

_Knowing forever in paradise_

_We're holding each other_

_Close enough to collide_

_Like two lonely stars in the night. _

Touya smiled wearily as he listened to Jin's words. "That is very sweet," he whispered between the two of them. "And you read that by yourself. I am very impressed, Jin."

Jin blushed a bit as he smiled in return. "I am glad you liked it." He closed the poetry book not knowing of the other poems as he was unable to read too well on his own yet. It took him just memorizing that poem himself to be able to read it entirely. "Piper is helping me read a bit. You know, just in case you ever want me to read to you…" His voice trailed off a bit as he was thinking about the darker side of the situation to where Touya would be unable to read for himself.

He could sense the concern in the wind demon's voice making Touya reach over to touch Jin's lower arm. "Jin, I don't plan on dying anytime soon." The ice master was relieved to catch at least a smile from his companion at that moment, even if it was a weary one. "But, I have to say, I am glad that you decided to learn to read." Touya turned his head slightly to gaze at Jin out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe I can share my books with you now."

"But you still plan on dying…right?" When Touya looked up at the ceiling without a response, Jin's ears faltered before getting to his feet. "Well, I guess I better get out of here so you can rest. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. They wanted me mainly in here to calm you down so you didn't really hurt yourself." He leaned down to kiss the ice demon upon the cheek. "Try to get some sleep. I have some reading to catch up on."

Touya closed his eyes upon receiving the kiss. "That won't be a problem once I get settled. The medicine needs to start working soon. Hopefully it will within the next few minutes," he grunted as he shifted about in his bed. With that said, Jin turned to take his leave of the bedroom. Touya felt kind of bad for not responding to his comment about his pending death. "Hey, Jin?" The ice master called, catching the wind demon at the doorway. "When you get the chance—I should be better by next week they said—so if you could get some of the books around here, I would like to read them with you sometime."

The notion made Jin feel a bit better as he tapped his fingers against the doorframe. "Alright, I will be sure to do that. I promise." He paused for a moment. "I love you." Jin finally stepped out of the room and into the hallway, gazing at the nurse and doctor that wanted to stay for a moment longer to make sure everything was indeed fine. "He's okay now. He should be alright until that medicine wears off again."

"Thank you, demon," Dr. Sur'don said with a slight bow. He stopped Jin from continuing on his way as he extended his hand as if to touch him. "Do not worry about your companion. I will try my hardest to find some cure."

Jin looked over his shoulder through the scone lit hallways with a raise of his brow. "I thank you in return, and I am holding you to that promise." He could see the fear in the nurse and the doctor's eyes causing him to sigh with a brief smile. "Please, I don't mean to sound as if I am putting your life on the line. I just pray you can pull through."

Dr. Sur'don settled a bit. "Demons pray?"

"They do in such circumstances, when they share a strong feeling for another," responded the wind demon as he headed back to the room he was offered with his head lowered.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Author's Notes**_: Sorry for the lack of updates, guys. I haven't forgotten about this fic, promise.

---

Once Touya's body fully recovered from the surgery it had undergone, Dr. Sur'don went ahead with performing some of his cures he had written down in his books he often carried around with him to find which one would be the most affective or possibly heal the demon. The first cure administered to him would often make the ice master lose his energy and desire to move, causing Touya to lie down for a while until it wore off. Jin was just glad that his companion was back on his feet, to say the least. He helped Touya around the underground village as it was getting to the point where some of the humans were used to the two demons there.

Touya made his way down the many hallways after he managed to keep some food down at the dinning area of the village. He enjoyed the fish and vegetarian choices he was given. He had to admit he preferred it over the many meats back at Vinay Del Zexay. The dampness and slight chill underground was also pleasant for him as he made his way back to the room he shared with Jin. Opening the door to their bedroom, he was surprised to not find Jin anywhere nearby.

_I guess he must be outside for now enjoying the warm air_, Touya thought as he made it over to the burning candle flame centered on the wooden table. He kept his eyes upon the flame, almost hypnotized by it. Catching one of the books from the corner of his left eye, Touya finally broke his focus from the candle to the cover to bring it closer to him. "Jin did say he brought these down here, because they were about Alma Kinan." Bringing the first book on top before him, Touya opened it to the first page and began reading at a speedy pace.

A knock soon coming from the door several moments later, the Chisha Clan Chief appeared. "Sorry to disturb you, Touya," the leader of the village whispered. "I do think your doctor has been looking for you."

Touya sighed as he looked over his shoulder at the elderly woman. "Does he have to give me that medicine now? If he does, I'll be out for the next five hours."

Catching the title of the book Touya was reading, the chief smiled as she made her way over towards him. "I see you're into our history? That is very abnormal for a demon." She stood behind the ice master to see something in the written word about the Alma Kinan Clan. "Oh, _**that**_ clan—well, I've never known many to be interested in them before."

"Well, that's what makes it so interesting," Touya insisted as he turned slightly in the wooden chair he was within. "It seems not even you Grasslanders know anything about them either."

"Some of us don't even know the clan exists while some of us do know some knowledge of it," Sana hinted with a slight wink at the demon, sitting down next to Touya. She could tell that the demon was interested, so she thought she would spare some light on the hidden tribe. "That clan is said to be comprised mostly of women, and they are well versed in the shaman ways."

"I think I read somewhere that they were mostly a womanly tribe," Touya responded as he put his sights back on the book he had. "If that is so, how do they keep their numbers up? Is that what caused their disappearance?"

The chief of the Chisha Clan couldn't help but stifle a laugh behind her wrinkled hand. "They didn't die out, ice demon. They just went into isolation after the end of the Fire Champion War." She couldn't help but recall seeing the clan once as a young girl before they decided to do so.

Touya tilted his head slightly at the woman going silent for a moment, as she appeared to be reminiscing about something. "They sound interesting. I heard that they often used the True Water Rune, and that once used to belong to me and my demonic tribe."

"I heard," Sana said with a tender smile, which was lit by the flickering candle flame. "It is said their healing abilities were spiritual and unrivaled by any of the six Grassland clans. A shame they haven't come out of hiding. If they ever did, we might be able to get their opinion on your situation." Removing herself from the chair she was within, Sana offered to help the demon up as well. Touya accepting her hand, she didn't mind the chill that was rushed through her body. "Now, come, Dr. Sur'don is waiting for you."

The ice master sighed as he followed Sana out of the room he was within to the one Dr. Sur'don was using for the time being. "I guess I have no choice in the matter."

Jin was outside in the forestlands surrounding the clan's borders, flying on the wind he was able to control. Feeling the warm air rush through his hair was refreshing for him and a way for the wind master to stretch his legs for the time being as he knew Touya was to take his medicine soon enough. He hated being alone while the ice demon rested it off, but Jin knew it was either put up with that or lose the one he cared for.

Finding an empty spot to land, Jin brought down his feet to stand in the cool, green grass not too far from the same flower bed he had happened upon awhile ago full of Iris flowers. He carefully plucked a few of them to take back to the Grassland Clan where his love was being treated. As he did so, he couldn't help but stop upon plucking the fifth Iris flower when he heard a rustle in the bushes not too far away. When it came again, he slowly got to his feet with caution. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Nothing answered from the shaking bushes. Not even a growl was emitted to hint any beast hiding there.

Jin was still nervous over what could possibly be causing the bushes to move as he made his way closer towards it with the flowers still in his hands. As he was standing not but a few inches from the greenery, something dashed quickly away deeper into the forest at such blinding speed. He could tell that it was obviously a human being of some kind, given the brief figure he made out. "Hey, wait a minute!" He yelled as he hurried after the person.

As the wind master perused the person deep within the surrounding forestlands, he watched as the one in front of him quickly turned around to shoot an arrow of some kind at him. The arrow was quick to strike him in the upper right shoulder. Jin widened his eyes as the weapon pierced his demonic skin. Distinctively, he reached for the arrow to pull it from his skin only to cry out in displeasure as banishing charms were attached to it. "I-can't pull it out…! Those charms will hurt me if I try…!" Not able to think of anything else to do, Jin took flight regardless of the pain he was in, and headed back towards the Chisha Clan Village.

Piper was out in the vineyard, covering most of the clan's land to pluck some of the grapes for their wine they often sold. When she felt the wind picking up at an abnormal pace, she shielded her eyes from the ground being disturbed while looking off towards the forest. "J-Jin?" She wondered when she saw the redhead heading in her direction. "What's going on—? Oh my goodness!" Piper covered her mouth when she saw the arrow in his body. "Jin, what happened!"

"I was just picking flowers in the forest, and I heard something, so I followed," he grunted in pain when she grabbed the arrow embedded in his shoulder area. "And before I knew it, someone shot me with this arrow and then ran off at such incredibly speed. I cannot pull it out, because it has those exorcism charms on them."

"Well, just hold still for a moment," Piper insisted as she grabbed onto the arrow to pull it quickly out of the demon's skin. She eyed the exorcism charms before tossing the blooded arrow down on the ground, ripping a good portion of her dress to work on concealing the wound. "You could have startled a nearby villager. You know many Grasslanders are open to demons and know who you are, so I wouldn't be surprised if one did attack you. We aren't blind to that like the Zexen people."

Jin merely shrugged off the pain, as he was free from the exorcism charms. "I understand how you Grasslanders work, but I never would expect to startle someone out there. What else is nearby anyways?"

"Well, just the Duck Clan," Piper answered with a slight shrug as she continued to doctor up the wound given to him by the weapon. "But they are not fast runners. The speed you were describing must have been someone else."

The wind demon hummed in thought as he ignored the tingle of pain hitting him as Piper wiped the bleeding opening and wrapped it tight. "I cannot imagine being able to startle someone else here." He looked to the young woman with a raise of his brow. "I mean, everyone here is pretty much used to us by now."

"That is true," said Piper in return as she finished dealing with Jin. "There. You are all set now." She sat back down on her knees there in the vineyard with a soft smile. "Just be careful, Jin. We don't know what else could be lurking out there in the forest. For all we know, there could be another settlement. Maybe you just wandered too close and scared them."

Jin moved his arm slightly and rotated his shoulder a bit only to stop with a slight hiss. He didn't expect to still be tinder as it was.

"Be careful, Jin," Piper warned with a serious frown. "With the magic in those charms, you'll still be a bit sore."

"Those things must be powerful to still leave an aftermath of it," Jin grumbled as he rubbed his shoulder slightly only to hiss again at the pain. "The demons back at our village made them, sure, but they were not that potent."

The young village woman cupped her chin in thought with a slight hum. "Then it must be a Grasslander of some kind. I know the men in iron back in Zexen make the same kind of charms, but they are the weakest around. They are purely made by them to make people feel safe from demonic attacks. And if you say that this charm is quite powerful, then a Grasslander is the only one I can think could make such a charm."

Jin merely rolled his eyes with a slight shrug. "I won't worry too much about it right now." He waved off the incident like it was nothing at all as he made his way back towards the underground clan. "I'll make sure I don't startle whoever it is again."

Her hands on her hips, Piper frowned at his attempts to forget about what could have really hurt him. _He better be careful_, she thought mostly to herself. Piper went back to plucking a few of the grapes only to look over at the back of the wind demon once more with an irritated look. _He may end up being the one to be sent to an early grave and not the ice demon._

His feet tapped against the cold, wet stones of the underground village as the wind master made his way to Touya's bedroom. Jin knew it was some time after his partner took his medicine, so he wasn't expecting the ice master to be awake. Opening the door to their bedroom slowly, he caught Touya, sure enough, bundled up and sleeping on the bed. A smile graced upon his face, he made his way quietly towards the bedside to sit upon it.

The bed moving and creaking under Jin's body weight, Touya moaned slightly and moved his head upon the feather down pillow. Feeling the hand of the wind master touching his head, he opened his narrow eyes slowly. Squinting from the dim lighting, which bugged his sight, he shifted his eyes up to the fuzzy outline of the redhead. "Jin…? I was wondering where you were earlier—!" The ice demon paused as his eyes focused upon the injury he had wrapped up. "Your-your shoulder!"

Jin glanced at his shoulder only to help Touya back down to the bed to try and get him to relax. "Touya, it is nothing. Don't worry about it. Just go back to sleep," he insisted as he pulled the covers back up and over the one he cared for.

Touya groaned, as he couldn't find the energy to get up and attack Jin for getting himself in trouble. "Just wait till I rest this off. Then I will have you explain to me what went on."

When the ice demon closed his eyes and drifted off back into sleep, Jin merely smiled as he watched him sleep with no complications for once. Leaning down, he planted a tender kiss upon his lukewarm forehead. "I love you," he whispered, merely getting a 'hum' in return.

Pushing himself up from the bedside, Jin made his way over to the table to find some of the books there. He was gaining some knowledge on how to read better thanks to Piper. Pulling one of the wooden chairs from the table, he sat down and read through some of the titles slowly, taking his time to mentally pronounce each word. "About that mysterious tribe, hu?" He said mostly to himself as he opened the book to gaze through a few chapters and look at most of the illustrations. None of them really caught his eye until he stumbled upon a rough, ink artwork piece of what they usually looked like. He saw two of the female tribe women with crossbows and what appeared to be fur lined shirts with dresses down the knees or ankles, or they wore pants with mostly boots of some kind. Catching the crossbows in their hands as well as the crafted arrows, Jin became a bit serious yet curious. "Crossbows…," he mumbled to himself as he shifted through the front of the book to check the index. "What weapons did they use?"

Most of the words he could look over were still difficult for him to pronounce and read together. He knew if anyone, Sana would be able to tell him what exactly was in that book he held. Taking it as well as a few others with him, he hurried out of the bedroom and searched desperately for Sana.

The elderly leader was outside, resting upon one of the chairs to enjoy the day, as it was rather sunny and the wind accompanied the warm day. Hearing one of the doors open to the many stores nearby, Sana spotted the wind demon looking rather excited. "Jin, what is the matter?" She asked, as she was about to push her body from the handcrafted chair.

"Don't get up!" Jin insisted, as he didn't want the old woman to move from where she was sitting comfortably. "I just want you to read this for me."

Sana relaxed her old bones, settling back within the comfortable, padded chair to look at the image of the two Amazon women holding crossbows. "What exactly do you want me to read, demon?"

"What weapons do the Alma Kinan people normally use?" Jin wanted to know, pointing at the image. "Do they usually use crossbows? What weapons do they use?"

The old woman didn't need the book to remind herself of what the Amazon tribe usually used as far as weapons were concerned. "Well, Jin, back during the war 50 years ago, the Alma Kinan mostly used crossbows or bows and arrows. They are a skilled archery tribe." She noticed the eagerness in Jin's stature still as he knelt beside the old woman to listen to her. "Sometimes they would use flaming arrows, and sometimes they would put exorcism charms on them to cripple the demonic."

Jin's blue eyes widened, his mouth opened slightly to let way for a gasp. "They are here! They are around here!" He said rather loudly with excitement as he got to his feet. Seeing the confused woman, he elaborated. "I was attacked in the surrounding forest when I was trying to pick flowers for Touya. Before then, I heard someone in the bushes watching me, only to run off shortly after me noticing them. When I was attacked today," Jin explained as he pointed to his injury, "I was shot by an arrow that had a exorcism charm on it. It had to be one of them!"

"Jin, you don't know that for sure," Sana said with a slight sigh. "If you wander too deep into that forest, you may become lost. Some say there is a curse upon it, and you will find yourself wandering down the same path for years to come. Do not go looking for trouble, demon." She began to rock herself upon the chair to relax a bit further after Jin's 'revelation'. "You might end up startling the wrong group."

"I have to find out if it is them," Jin insisted as he placed his hand to his chest. "If their medical practices can possibly save, Touya, then what other choice do I have!"

"Wait!" Sana exclaimed to prevent Jin from taking off after some wild goose chase. With the demon's attention caught, she lowered her hand back down to the armrest of the chair with a slight smile to the wind master. "Touya will be awake sometime soon. Why don't you just wait for him and then you can go hunt down these people?" Seeing Jin fight with himself on what to do, Sana continued. "You never know what may happen. You wouldn't want to leave him worrying in his condition, would you?"

Jin looked out at the forest with a falter of his ears and a heavy sigh. "You're right. I'll wait for Touya to wake up, and then I will head on out."

Sana made sure that Jin did head back into the village quarters underground before resting her head upon the chair with a relieved, inner sigh. "It sure is a beautiful day," she mumbled mostly to herself, listening to the song of the birds around her.

Touya tensed up from a nightmare he was enduring within his sleep. His teeth rolling over his lower lip, he began to sweat profusely as he turned back and forth whilst enduring the horrible visions. Within his dreams, he could see nothing but darkness engulfing him. Even though Touya was weak, he tried his best to fight it off of him, as it seemed to have a mind of its own. The darkness would reach for and grab his body as if to try and completely suffocate him.

"Get off of me!" He demanded as he created his ice sword to slash at the dark fog trying to wrap about his body. When he was able to fight his way through, he ran through the void he was within to try and find a way out.

Touya was frantic and anxious as he hurried through the darkness only to have the ground beneath him become visible to show he was making his way towards a cliff. Stopping dead in his tracks, he looked over the cliff to see nothing but an endless pit. Panicking with sweat lining his brow, Touya gazed back over his shoulder to see the oncoming dark fog. "No! Stay away from me!" He yelled, outstretching his hand to try and make the darkness stop from coming towards him while backing up on the small bit of land he hand about him.

A small pebble falling from the narrowed cliff into the depths below seemed to cause a sudden rumbling, which could be felt, prompting Touya to look behind him to find a fire starting to slowly churn about the pit beneath him. The flames rising up high and his skin nearly burning just from the intense heat he could feel, he knew he had to make a quick decision on where to go. Without much thought on the matter, Touya jumped off of the cliff with his eyes closed knowing the fire was going to tear his body apart.

"Touya!" Jin's voice bellowed from his nightmare, prompting the ice master to wake up before the fires could eat away at his skin. Seeing the ice demon widen his eyes and gasp for air as he woke, Jin held onto him gently. "What is the matter?

His lukewarm embrace holding the wind demon in return, he recollected the many images he saw when he was dreaming. "It was…it was nothing—just a bad dream," Touya insisted as he pulled back from the hug for a moment to settle. He wiped the sweat from his face realizing he was a bit more energetic then before. "I guess the medicine is wearing off a bit." He pulled the covers from his body, planting his feet to the ground.

Seeing his partner about to leave his bed after what he had just endured, Jin was quick to stop him. "Whoa, Touya! You really should just lie down and try to relax a bit before moving about."

"I am just hungry, Jin," he remarked with a slight chuckle. "I've been asleep for two hours. I think I am ready to eat at the very least." Once again, he found the wind demon denying him the want to get up to get his own late lunch.

"I'll get it for you in a moment, but listen, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Touya brought his knees to his chest, resting his arms upon them while giving Jin a rather curious look. "That is right. I did want you to explain your injury to me at the very least." When he saw Jin look upon it with a slight shrug like it was nothing, he cleared his throat. "I would like an explanation, Jin."

Jin sighed upwards, blowing some of his wild hair out of his sight at Touya's persistent behavior. "I apparently startled some local villager, and they shot an arrow at me that had an exoticism charm attached to it."

"Jin!" Touya exclaimed, as he knew those charms could render a demon powerless to even humans. "You need to be more careful out here!"

"I know; I know," said Jin as he tried to settle the ice demon. "But listen, I was reading through your books, and I think I have an answer as to what might have shot at me as a warning. And it might be the solution to our problems!"

Touya sidewise frowned at Jin's comments, not sure still what he was babbling about. "Jin, whatever it is you are up to, I want you to be careful." When the wind master was about to get up to leave the bedside, he grabbed onto Jin's wrist to stop him. His narrow, weak eyes gazed up at the redhead with a serious look. "I mean it, Jin. I don't want you to get hurt…"

Smiling tenderly down at Touya, Jin placed his hand on top of his partner's in attempts to comfort him. "I will take Piper with me. I am sure if there is any other Grasslander out there who is willing to try and shoot me down, she can reason with them." When Touya said nothing more, Jin pushed himself up from the bedside once more to head off to find Piper and venture back into the Kupo Forest after he was to get Touya's meal.

--

The bushes moving out of the way of the eager wind demon, Piper followed cautiously behind Jin. Her delicate hand moving the bushes and lower branches out of her face, she sighed slightly at his determination to find a tribe that had gone into seclusion for 50 years. "You know this is a wild goose chase, right?" Piper moved up her dress slightly to make her way over one of the large tree roots blocking their path. "Even if it was an arrow that shot you, a crossbow and a bow and arrow are commonly used amongst all of the Grassland tribes. Alma Kinan women just happen to use it mostly."

Jin inhaled the senses around him to see if he could pick up any trace of humans. Kneeling down, he eyed the ground beneath him to look for signs of footprints, as he was soon back where he was last attacked. His hands feeling of the cold, hard earth, he brought his ear slightly down to see if he could hear anything. "Understand, Piper, that this is the only lead I've got at the moment." Jin pushed himself back to his feet to head further west, continuing to push his way past the wild foliage. "If I don't follow what I can, Touya may surely die."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," Piper insisted. Spying a spider web in front of her, she jumped back slightly with a soft gasp; especially upon seeing the black spider.

When the demon sensed her fear, he turned around to spot the obstacle in her way. "Don't worry, Piper." Jin brought his hand up to smash the spider web in her way to allow her a way through before continuing onwards himself. "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't feel strongly about this hunch." Pausing for a moment, he wiggled his right ear upon hearing something dashing quickly within the bushes. "Something is there!" He whispered to Piper as he snapped his attention in the direction he heard the sound.

"Something where?" Piper asked as she hurried quickly over to Jin's side.

"No, no, not too close!" Jin demanded in a hushed tone still as he waved her away. "They may attack me and hit you too." He took one step forward cautiously to make sure not to startle whoever it was hiding. "Hello? Who is there?" When nobody responded and the rustling of the bushes stopped, he looked over his shoulder at Piper only to witness her shrug.

Piper was unsure of what to say or to do to make whoever it was come out of hiding. Seeing that someone arise from their hiding spot, she widened her eyes upon seeing the bow and arrow they had. She saw it was aimed right at Jin's chest. "Jin, watch out!" She yelled pointing beyond him.

Hearing the air cut about him as the arrow shot through it, Jin turned around quickly to grab it in his hand before having another fly at him and pierce his left side. With the charm on that arrow, Jin found himself growling in agony as he broke the other in his hand rather easily just by exerting his pain through his fist. "Dammit…!" he swore as he fell to his knees. "It burns my skin…!"

"Jin!" Piper exclaimed as she placed her hands upon his back. She could sense the person in the darkness of the thick forest was heading towards them. Outstretching her hand, she insisted that they stop. "Please, don't come any closer! Don't kill him!"

The archer made their way into the light of the forest to show that the person were obviously a female given their figure. Her narrow eyes were the color of brown as was her hair, which she had tied back in a bun, though a few strands were coming down from it and falling about her face. "Why would you protect this beast? He is a demon! Can't you as a Grasslander see that?" Her tone was almost full of malice and discontent for the demon, who was there in obvious pain.

Jin huffed through his nostrils to try and regain some of his self-control before gazing up at the woman to see that she had on the attire depicted in that one book he held in his hands not too long ago. The lining about the bottom of the shirt was lined in white fur while the coloration of the fabric was mostly in green though had some white symbols about the collar area. She had gloves on that were obviously brown, animal leather and came close to her elbows. Tan colored pants were what she wore as well with her boots. "An Alma Kinan!" He mostly said to himself, agony upon every word he spoke as the charm was hurting him.

"He has come too close to our boarders the last few times, and we don't want him anywhere near our home!" The archer demanded as she aimed an arrow right at his chest. "If I have to put an arrow right into his wretched heart, I will!"

"Please," Jin begged sounding rather winded. "I beg of you—you must save my friend…!"

The woman relaxed her arms to show she was listening to what Jin had to say. "What friend are you speaking of, demon?"

"He is another demon, but he won't harm you!" Jin went on to explain as he raised his hand almost in surrender to her pending attack. "He has read all about your kind and has found you to be interesting. He wants to be here and see your tribe." Jin witnessed the skepticism in her expression as she shifted slightly to one side. "Please…he is sick, and he will die if he doesn't get help! I need your help…please…!"

Her expression was unchanging though she lowered her bow completely and stepped backwards to show she wasn't going to kill the demon. She actually found his words to be unlike that she would expect from someone of his race. Her brown eyes shifted about the forest canopy before eyeing the damned being once more. "Where is he?"


	19. Chapter 19

_**Author's Notes**_: My boyfriend was in town for a week, so sorry for the sluggishness on any art or stories. I miss him so much already. =(

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The Alma Kinan woman fell in behind Jin to make sure he wasn't about to try something. She refused to put her weapon away as she made it to the fellow Grassland Village. "So they would allow a beast like you to nest here for the time being," she said between the three of them.

"He isn't evil," Piper interjected rather quickly. "Surely you could search within your heart to see that as the rest of us have."

The foreign Grasslander shifted her brown eyes upon Piper. "I refuse to make my assumptions just yet. I wish to see this sick friend of his." Skepticism was hanging upon every word she spoke. She was obviously not very trusting of the demon, but Jin expected as much as he guided her further into the Chisha Clan's boarders.

Some of the tribe members nearby couldn't help but stop what they were doing as well to gawk at the Alma Kinan knowing exactly what she was. Whispers hissing across the vineyard, the Grasslander paid them no mind as she made it to the underground section of the village. She wasn't used to the cold surroundings given her home out in the forestlands. The wind demon led her to Touya's bedroom. The door opening up to reveal the quaint little room lit by a single flame, she watched as Jin made it over to the bedside.

"He is over here," said Jin as he waved her over. "He is sleeping for the time being, but can you not just look at him?"

Putting her weapon away for the time being, the Grasslander slowly advanced towards the slumbering Touya. She knew that the wind demon was sincere in his previous remarks. Reaching her hand out nervously, she closed her eyes to concentrate on the demon's spirit. She slowly reopened them with a serious expression. "He is slowly slipping into the other world. A part of him is struggling to hold on, but who knows how much longer he will remain on this plain."

"Please tell me there is something you can do to help him. I've heard your village is more advanced then any other!" Jin expressed with his fist close to his demonic heart.

Before she could make her decision, the chief of the Chisha Clan appeared at the doorway. "I know that the demons, despite their race, have been rather interesting visitors," the elder woman explained as she slowly moved to the group. "I, without a doubt, have a feeling they would respect your clan and their rules if you were to take them under." Her old, weary eyes turned to Jin with a kind smile. "I have to admit, I will miss them when they are gone."

The Alma Kinan archer understood where Sana was coming from, and a smile was conveyed upon her lips soon enough with an understanding nod to follow. She turned to Jin, prompting the wind demon to slightly perk up at the smile he could see upon her. "My name is Neleen. I will take you to my village. Hopefully we can find a solution to your friend's problem."

Jin's ears slightly perking up, he nodded several times with a relived grin. "Thank you so much, Neleen!" He couldn't help but lunge for her to wrap his arms around the Amazon woman in a tight hug.

Neleen shifted her eyes about a bit nervous with the uncomfortable show of affection. "Well then," she began, pushing the demon back. "We'll just get your friend wrapped up and taken to my clan. We should get this done before nightfall."

"What about the doctor working on Touya, Sana?" Piper asked between the two of them. "He was making some progress, I would think."

"I will tell Dr. Sur'don to go ahead and follow them with his crew. I am sure this tribe has been shut off from civilization for too long and new faces may be refreshing." Sana turned to take her leave of the bedroom. "If you want to go with them, Piper, I don't see any harm in that either."

Piper was a bit resistant at the thought of leaving her home, but she was curious as to how things would turn out for the ice demon. She knew that Jin was relieved they finally found the village, and Piper, herself, felt that they were close to possibly healing the ice master. "I'll go with you," Piper announced as she made her way to the door as well. "Let me just go pack a few things, and I will be back."

"We'll have quite a few new quests this round," Neleen remarked with a light giggle. "I guess we shouldn't complain. We have been in isolation for some time." She waved at Jin to come help her with the other demon. Upon her fingers touching his skin, Neleen jerked her hands back. "Goodness, he is quite cold! What kind of demon is he?"

"He is an ice demon," Jin explained as he headed over to his companion to help him sit upright while he was slumbering. "If you need me to touch him, I will."

"Please do," she said, moving out of Jin's way not wishing to have that painful sensation touch her body again.

Jin gently started to lift Touya from the bed to help him into his arms. "I'll keep him wrapped up just in case. Lately he has been feeling quite ill when it comes to wandering outside in the fresh air, especially when it is too warm or too cold. It is like his body cannot handle the cold temperature it used to. He is actually not as cold as he once was."

"How strange," Neleen began, her words insinuating she was in thought, "especially for an ice demon." Turning to Piper, she nodded at the fellow Grasslander. "If you plan on joining us, I suggest you pack your things and get ready to leave. I will be waiting near the forest lands when you're all ready."

"I don't have many things myself," Jin felt need to point out as he got his companion in his arms. "All I have to worry about is Touya, his books, and Wind Song."

"Let me go grab my belongings, and I will join you both." Piper smiled briefly as she made her leave of the room to head to her own.

With everyone out of the room, Jin looked to the many books on the table with a curious expression. _I guess it would be a bit pointless to bring books about a civilization we're going to go see, _he thought, but then he remembered he was still learning to read from Piper. Realizing he had to put Touya back down for a moment, he made his way over to the bed to lie him upon his back before grabbing a brown sack to put all the books within. Throwing the sack full of books over his shoulder, he made it back over to Touya to pick him back up best he could.

Just as the wind master was about to reach for him again, Touya stirred in his slumber and opened his eyes slowly to have them adjust to the poor lighting about him. "J-Jin…? What is going on? Where are you going?" He noted the brown sack he had over his shoulder, acting as though the redhead were off to somewhere.

Jin was slightly startled by Touya waking up, but he was quick to snap back to attention. "Touya, I finally found one!" He stated excitedly between the two of them.

Touya pursed his lips as if to threaten to say 'what' while shaking his head at Jin's jubilance.

"Come with me and you will see!" Jin insisted as he helped Touya get to his feet at least. "You will get better in no time. I promise!"

Leaning against the wind demon, he shook his head at Jin with a soft sigh. "Ever since you got here, you've been acting strange…well, stranger then usual anyways," Touya had to admit as he leaned against the wind demon to be helped out of the bedroom.

Jin refused to say much else as he helped Touya to the surface at the ice demon's pace. Getting above ground, Jin witnessed as Touya shielded his eyes from the bright sun as if it were paining him. Carefully, he guided the ill demon further beyond the vineyard to where Neleen was waiting for them. "Neleen, this is my friend, Touya."

The sun was still making it terribly difficult for Touya to see. He continued to cover his eyes a bit before peeking through them to see the woman clad in green and brown leather attire. He recognized the appearance, prompting him to lower his hand a bit further from his face. "An Alma Kinan…?" He wondered between the three of them. "How is this possible!"

"When your other friend gets here, I will explain along the way," Neleen expressed as she turned upon her heels to head further into the woods. "Come this way at least. The sun appears to be bothering your eyes. Best to have the trees shield its rays for you then tire your arm." Leaning against one of the trees nearby, she crossed her arms upon her chest. "You must know a great deal about our clan to know our clan's name, demon."

Touya relaxed himself in the shade with Jin, shrugging at Neleen's comment. "When I got sick, the only thing I could do was read, so I read about the Grassland Clans. Yours were scattered here and there even in the Grassland literature, so I found the Alma Kinan to be interesting."

"Hu," Neleen began in thought. "Odd that a demon would find interest in our clan in non-sadistic ways." Sensing someone coming their way, Neleen gazed over towards the Chisha Clan's vineyard to see Piper heading towards them with the doctor, who was tending to Touya. "I suppose we're all ready?"

"I am ready," Dr. Sur'don responded. "I decided to let my nurses remain here. I don't need extra hands at the moment, so I should be fine."

"Almost," said Jin as he put his fingers to his mouth to whistle quite loudly to call down Wind Song. The wind shifting about under his wings, the white griffon landed near the redhead with a soft chirping sound. "Good boy," he praised, stroking the wild beast between the feathery ears. "I know you won't mind carrying Touya for me." Helping his friend upon the griffon's back, he made sure Touya remained clothed up pretty well. "Now we are ready to go."

Neleen led them into the forest, back to the area where Jin had been occasionally picking flowers for Touya. She guided them further to the west where the clan had been apparently hiding out. "For many years, the Alma Kinan Clan went into isolation, but not before long, the magical border surrounding our clan started to diminish and weaken." She moved some of the weak branches out of her way, continuing deeper into the forest to where the village was hidden. "So, naturally, when we started seeing a demon showing up not too far away, we were nervous he was going to come and start trouble with our clan."

"We are going so far into the woods," Piper explained nervously. "I have heard that if you go too far, you'll get lost forever."

The Amazon woman chuckled, turning to the woman. "That is because of the magical field we put around our clan," she answered, making it to the brink of where it was located. "Whenever someone not of our clan comes within this area, they walk right past it and continue onwards forever." With a wave of her hand, she made the magical barrier a bit more visible. The blue light flickered and sparked to show its unstable behavior. "With it weakening, anybody could easily slip inside of our village."

"No wonder nobody knew where you were," Touya remarked weakly from the griffon's back. "Hiding behind strong magic for so many years…that is incredible."

Knowing that the ice demon was in much discomfort, Neleen focused on removing the portal for the fellow travelers to pass through. "Go on ahead. The woods should open up and lead you to our village. I will be behind you to seal back up the portal best I can."

Jin guided the griffon into the opened portal with Piper close beside them. Most of the forest looking the same as before, it eventually reopened into something different the further on the three of them traveled. The trees spreading further apart, a gate made of wood soon came within view. "This must be it," whispered Jin as a smile graced his features. Heading towards the open gates, they were soon stopped by the sound of bowstrings being pulled back.

"Halt!" One of the Amazon women demanded as she aimed her arrow right at the intruders. "Who are you people, and why are you here?"

"Stop!" Neleen yelled, coming up from the rear. "They are here because I brought them here!" She shouted up to the archers. "Let them in. They don't mean us any harm."

The women of the Alma Kinan Clan were obviously very trusting of one another and did what Neleen asked without question. Their bows lowered, the four visitors were able to pass through the gates without worry of being attacked. Making their way inside of the village, they found it to be quite tranquil. All of the buildings were made mostly of timber, and the quilted fabrics were made in many different designs and forest like hues.

"Being the only men I can guarantee we're going to get a lot of stares," Jin remarked between him, Sur'don, and Touya though Neleen couldn't help but overhear as well as Piper.

"Men are never allowed within our clan boundaries is why, demon," the Amazon archer felt need to express as she led them to the inn. "I am afraid it is a personal reason as to why they are never allowed here." She made her way up the wooden staircase to the door to the village's inn, which was hardly used, as passersby were always rare.

"It is because you don't trust them," Touya answered as he helped himself down off of Wind Song's back. "You believe all they are responsible for is war, among other things."

Neleen was quiet before turning to look at the ice master. "So you really are a reader. Though I must admit, I am surprised anybody knew that and wrote it down." Opening the front door, she allowed them on inside. "The inn hasn't seen visitors for some time, so be mindful of that. I will return shortly to check on you. I need to speak to our healer shaman."

The innkeeper seeing the two demonic males, she couldn't help but inhale sharply and fear for her life as they continued to advance towards her. "Can I help you…?" She asked as professionally as possible, knowing there must have been a reason they made it past the archers.

"All four of us need a place to stay," Jin answered. "You can give me and my friend here our room together, and give Piper and the doctor their own." He knew it would be awkward for the two humans to be placed with the two of them, and not to mention awkward for him as well.

"Well then," the innkeeper began as she guided them up the steps to the back door. "I can help you to our open rooms." The hallway stretched vertically before them with ten doors lined up and down the hall. "Okay, I do believe that the single bedroom is just right here." The elderly woman made her way over to the first door diagonally before her left. She opened the wooden door to peek inside to make sure it was indeed the room she was thinking of. "Oh, yes, this is the one. So here you go, miss."

"Thank you," Piper said with a gracious bow before heading on inside with her belongings.

"Now for you two," the woman said as she headed a bit further down the hallway. Walking to the room she had a feeling was the one, her hands gripped the doorknob and opened it slightly to peek inside before pushing it further open for them to look into. "This is the right room."

Jin helped Touya inside of the undisturbed room. There were two beds separated by a nightstand in between them. A few wooden pillars decorated the room as well, making the interior design rather unique. There was even a small balcony at the opposite end of the room that led to outside. The wind master made certain that the ice demon was at least situated properly on the bed closest to the balcony, feeling he may prefer to have a closer look to the outside world.

"Make yourselves at home," she said almost with hesitation before excusing herself from the room. Her muffled voice could be heard from behind the closed door. "Now, to find your room."

"If I could be close to the patient, that would be convenient for me," Dr. Sur'don's voice remarked from the hallway. His and the inn keeper's footsteps became quieter the further on they walked.

Touya removed the blanket from about his fragile body. "This place looks a lot different then I thought it would," he mumbled almost to himself as he got to his feet to head to the balcony for a moment.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Jin wondered with a chuckle as he headed behind the ice master to make sure he didn't go outside. "I know you always wanted to see this place, and now this is your chance."

His fingers tapped upon the woodwork on the doors leading out to the balcony before bringing his hand to his side. "Or see it and die here," he mentioned somberly with a sigh, heading back to the bed from where he once was.

"Please don't talk like that," the redhead insisted, blowing some of his wild hair out of his face. "You know I want you to get better, and I know that they can help!"

Touya shook his head with a shrug. "I am just not as sure as you are, Jin. I want to believe I will be okay, but without my True Water Rune, I just—."

"Stop talking like that! Please!" Jin yelled almost angrily. He could see that Touya was a bit shocked by his demands. He witnessed as the ice master expressed his surprise before he glanced away from Jin with an annoyed expression almost to follow. Jin joined Touya on the bed, looking about the room wondering what else to say. "I am sure, umm, once you get better, there will be plenty of things to see around here."

Knowing that if he said anything about his end would only upset Jin again, Touya kept his words to himself that time. "Possibly," was all he could hope to respond with. "I have been wanting to see this place. It is beyond my expectations," Touya reiterated. As he was just sitting there, he felt the wind demon wrap his arms around his cold, frail body. His eyes a bit wide in surprise, he looked down at the snuggling wind master. "Jin?" He asked, wondering what was on his mind.

Jin said nothing at first as he nuzzled into Touya's chest gently, making sure he wouldn't harm the demon. "I just don't want anything to happen to you," he mentioned quietly, fighting back the tears he knew would come if he spoke much else or thought more on the matter.

A knock coming upon the door, Jin and Touya both turned to glance at the wood crafted door before each other. Jin pulled from the ice master to head for the closed entryway. "Come in," he insisted upon opening it to reveal Neleen and another young Alma Kinan woman.

"Jin, this is one of the shamans in our village," Neleen explained as she stepped to the side to reveal her. She was probably in her mid to early 20s with brown hair resting upon her upper back. "She is a great healer and might have ways to help your friend."

"I sure hope she can help," Jin responded with a bit of doubt as he watched the quiet shaman head towards the ill-stricken Touya.

The young woman outstretched her hand, resting her wide palm several inches from Touya's forehead. Closing her eyes, she waved her hand back and forth slightly to gather the energy reading of the demon. "He is a powerful creature," she mentioned aloud, opening her eyes. "But he is severally weakened by whatever has a hold on his body. So what symptoms are you exhibiting?"

Touya shrugged a bit with a deep breath. "I am coughing so hard I'll cough up blood, I get into these dizzy spells too, and I am weak almost all the time," he listed.

"Sounds like there is something causing harm to your body and trying to make sure it is slowly destroyed," said the shaman as she led her fingers down to his throat. "I know just one touch of your skin could very well send a shock of cold right through me, so I won't for now." Pointing at his throat, she closed her eyes and focused her energy on the spot before trailing it downwards to his chest. A small, circular light seemed to emanate from the chest, causing her to open her eyes once more to see it for herself. "It is there," she said rather vaguely. Neleen and Jin coming closer, she looked over her shoulder to find them there before continuing. "Whatever is harming him is in his chest—preferably, his lungs."

"Is there anyway to _**heal**_ it though?" Touya wondered as he just wanted to find a cure if it was possible.

"That's a good question," said the shaman as she lowered her hand, causing the light to fade from the ice master. "What did the man say? You know, the doctor who came with you all."

"He cut me open to find the problem in my lungs as well. He said I had some abnormal tissue growing about my lung area and it was restricting my air flow," said Touya as he motioned about his chest.

"I am afraid, until I can find a direct cure, all I can do is subdue the affects this is having. I might be able to cause the lung swelling to lower as well—we shall see." Getting to her feet, she bowed to everyone respectfully before heading to the door. "My name is Galleria," she said at the door. "Nice to meet you all. I shall return shortly."

Neleen nodded at the two. "I shall leave you both alone myself. If you want to look about the village, feel free to do so." Closing the door behind her, the Grasslander placed her back against the wooden surface of it on the opposite side. She took in a deep breath before releasing it as if to clear her mind before heading off down the hallway.


	20. Chapter 20

The weeks seemed to process rather well when it came to Touya's situation. The medicine that the shaman healer would give to him to help with most of the affects his illness had worked wonders. It soothed the pain in his throat, and he felt like walking around in the fresh air a bit more. It was never advised for him to do so, however, as they were unsure of what his condition held for him.

Touya wandered to the balcony while Jin was still slumbering that morning. His robe wrapped tightly about his body, he opened the door and made his way outside. The air was a bit much for his entire body to endure, so he made sure he was bundled at least. He gazed up at the trees, which seemed to go several miles high. Their branches and leaves attempting to cloud out the sun that morning. Beams of the light broke through and lit up parts of the peaceful village.

_It sure is peaceful here_, he thought to himself as he watched some of the villagers' head on about their daily chores. He watched as one woman of the clan led her mule deeper into the forest with a few empty bags on either side of it. She seemed to stop and feel as though someone was watching her, prompting her to look over at the male. Touya stopped staring and straightened up quick knowing that he wasn't really welcome there just yet. He hesitated to do anything before finally waving briefly at the Alma Kinan. 'Hey' he mouthed.

The woman seemed void of any emotion towards him till his actions. A smile appearing upon her face, she nodded once as if to say 'hello' in return before turning to continuing on her way.

Jin stirred slightly in bed before realizing what time it probably was. Moaning softly, he sat upright in bed with a big stretch and yawn before getting to his feet. "I guess I overslept a little bit," he mentioned mostly to himself before looking over his shoulder to find Touya there at the balcony. Jin walked over towards the terrace, opening the door quietly to step behind the ice demon. "It sure is nice out today."

Catching Jin's words, he turned his head ever so slightly to find the redhead there out in the corner of his eye. "Morning," he felt the need to say as he had yet to see the wind master up. It was abnormal, as Jin was usually up quite early. "I didn't expect to see you up for awhile with how long you were sleeping."

"I overslept, I guess," Jin responded as he came up from behind Touya. He wrapped his arms around the ice master with a smile. "At least you're up and about. That is a good sign."

"Ever since the shaman has been giving me that medicine she makes, it has been very helpful," Touya expressed as he leaned back against Jin's chest to relax for a moment. "My body hasn't been a complete and total mess as usual." His eyes shifted about the green environment with a relaxed sigh. "It makes me feel a bit more willing to go out and about."

"Did you want to do that?" Jin asked. He has been trying to be more at ease with the thought of the ill stricken demon walking about the fresh air more. He was always told that it wasn't up to the ice master to decide what was best for him and what wasn't.

"It really would be nice. I haven't been able to walk about this village completely for awhile now," said Touya as he pushed himself off of the railing of the balcony. "How about you get dressed, and we can do that?" He attempted to make his way past Jin only to have the wind master stop him from continuing for a second. Pulled to the taller demon's side, he looked up at him to find Jin encouraging at least a kiss for the time being. Closing his eyes, Touya accepted the oncoming kiss. He knew with how his time was mostly spent with reading, being tended to, or sleeping, they hardly seemed to have time for one another. "I love you too," Touya whispered upon parting from the kiss.

"I am just relieved we found this place," Jin explained as he followed his partner back inside. "You seem to be getting better from the looks of it."

"Jin, they are using better medicines with the doctor's help to keep the sickness from dragging me fully under," Touya explained as he removed his robe for some of his clothes in the bamboo crafted drawer. "It isn't like I am recovering. I still have whatever it is, it just appears to be further from killing me."

Jin leaned against the wood crafted wall with a sigh at Touya's persistent attitude to remain sour about everything. "One of these days I am going to get you to be happy again. Even if it kills me."

Touya smirked as he took one of Jin's shirts out to throw at the half-naked wind master. He watched as it smacked the redhead in the face before falling to the floor. "Get dressed. I am ready to see this village for what it really is."

Upon getting dressed, the two demons made their way out into the Alma Kinan Village. Touya walked outside of the inn to venture into the Grassland Clan's boundaries surrounded mostly by nothing but trees and log houses. All that could be heard throughout the village was the sound of birds and some of the local women playing their instruments. It was very relaxing for the ice master, as he wanted a break from all of the noise back in the city.

"They seem to have some nice stores around here too," Jin said as he tugged on Touya's arm to point at one. "This way." He headed over to one of the stores that had many handmade wind chimes hanging just outside the door. "I love these things," Jin whispered to himself as he blew the wind slightly with a purse of his lips to cause them to chime together. "Humans would have these things everywhere outside of their homes. I loved making them ring together like that."

The woman who owned the store could see the two men just outside from the window. Making it to the front door, she opened it to watch the wind demon play with the wind chimes on display. "Enjoying yourself?" She chuckled slightly. It had been three weeks since she knew the two were around the village, so she wasn't too afraid of them much anymore.

Jin stopped himself from causing the wind to continue to make the objects chime. Clearing his throat, he pointed at the handcrafted items. "What are these?" He asked, thumbing towards one before touching it with his hand. Jin gazed at the small, circular hardwood area that had strings attacked to part of it to leave way for bamboo stems and a few exotic feathers for decoration.

"These are called wind chimes," said the young woman as she pointed to one from where she was standing in the doorway.

"I would see humans all the time keep them outside, and I enjoyed prompting them to make the sound they make," Jin said as he opened his palm under one to cause the wind to disturb one.

Seeing him cause the wind to move startled the villager yet intrigued her as well. "Oh my…you can control the wind?"

Jin withdrew his hand, nodding with a toothy grin at the woman. "Yes, I am a wind demon. When traveling, I would stop by some of the Zexen towns to see these out and about and play with them a bit. I never knew their purpose, but they sure are soothing."

"Well, that is their purpose," the woman explained as she unhooked one from the ceiling. "Their purpose is to sooth people when the wind blows. I am sure you were putting some people at ease unknowingly." She giggled at the mere thought, while handing one over to the demon. "Are you sure you're not a mischievous wind sprite?"

Touya smirked at the comment. "He sure does appear the type." He hid his soft laughter behind his hand as Jin shot a glare at him.

"What special talent do _**you**_ have?" She asked, motioning towards Touya.

"Me?" Touya asked as he placed his hand on his chest. "Well, I am an ice demon. I can use ice for attacks and can control the temperature to help increase their power. But, with me so sick, I am afraid there is very little I can do regarding all of that now." Outstretching his hand, the ice demon focused what power he could into the palm of his hand. The ice began to form upon his palm to create a rose. "And it took me a lot to be able to just do that, so I don't even want to think of what doing more would cause me to do."

"Wow," gasped the young villager as she looked at the ice sculpture. She reached for it, only to withdraw her fingers with a raise of her brow. "Mind if I…touch it?"

"Go ahead and take it, if you like." Touya handed the rose over to the intrigued female. "I have little need for such things."

Opening her hand, she accepted the ice sculpture. "Thank you!" Remembering she still had the wind chime in her hand, she handed it over to Jin. "Here. Take this then. It is the least I can offer for something so beautiful as this."

"Oh, thank you!" Jin exclaimed as he accepted the wind chime. "I am sure I will have fun with this thing!"

The two seemed to talk a bit longer then Touya cared to listen to. His mind heading off into a world of its own, a strange wind blowing from the right of him caught his attention. Hearing someone almost whispering to him, he furrowed his brow in wonder as he gazed down a pathway, which seemed to head deeper into the village away from the markets and houses. _What is that?_ He wondered to himself as he slowly climbed down the stairs to gaze off in that direction.

Feeling Touya leave his side, Jin looked down at the ice master to see where he was staring at. "Touya? What is it?" He asked as he hopped down the last step.

"Something is…down that way," he whispered mostly between them before turning to the sale's woman. "Excuse me, but what is down that way?"

"Down there?" She asked pointing down the road Touya was staring at. "That is where the sacred shrine is."

"May we look at it?" Touya wondered as he scratched an annoying itch in his bi-colored hair. "I am a little interested in seeing it."

The woman was a bit hesitant on what to say to that. She twiddled her thumbs a bit while biting her lower lip. "I don't see what harm it could possibly do as you guys have been here for a bit and no trouble has been caused."

Touya could tell she was none too eager to let them see it. "I promise we won't touch it or anything of that nature. We just want to look at it."

The seller nodded with a gesture towards the shrine. "Go right ahead. I don't mind, and I am sure the others won't either."

Taking Jin's hand, Touya headed down the grass road lined by trees. They followed the narrow path deep within the woods to come upon the shrine that the woman spoke of. The shrine seemed to sit in the back of the woods with three triangular pillars of stone in an almost half circle right behind a large, round stone in the middle. The shrine appeared to sit right at the bottom of a very large tree—parts of which seemed to be hallowed out to make room for it at the bottom, and at the very top, it appeared broken open. Moss grew all over parts of the tree, almost hiding the very large trunk within the greenery. Looking straight up, the sun could be seen.

"Wow," Jin gasped as he walked closer to the shrine. "They sure put a lot of effort into this." His hand graced one of the stones etched out with weird markings before making it to the tree concealing the main part of the shrine.

Touya nodded in silent agreement before making it over to the tree to look at the stones a bit closer. "This sure is nice. Wonder what it is used for." He kneeled down to roll his fingers across the designs etched within the circular stone. Upon running his fingers over the stone, he could hear something whispering to him again. He couldn't make out what was being said, causing him to place his hand to his head.

Jin caught Touya's reaction to the stone tablet, prompting him to make his way over to the ice demon. "Touya, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I was…something was just hurting my head, I guess," he mumbled, keeping his sights fixed upon that shrine. Jin helped him to his feet. Taking in deep breaths, Touya got his body to relax. "I'll be okay; I'll be okay."

Just around one of the trees, Neleen was paying attention to what the two demons were doing with Piper right behind her. "Here they are," said Neleen aloud as she headed towards the two. "Your troublemakers are just where I thought they might be." She used the term as a joke. Putting her hands behind her back, she leaned forwards slightly to try and get eye contact with the ice demon. "I had a feeling this place may call to you."

"Why do you say that?" Touya wondered, shrugging off the thought of sharing the voices he just heard.

"I just have this feeling is all," Neleen remarked vaguely. "How do you like our fair village?"

Touya smiled a bit as he looked up at the forest canopy. "Being out and about it for the first time is really worth while. With everything so peaceful and harmonious here, I can see why you prefer it in solitude."

Neleen raised her brow as the four of them headed back into the main part of the village. "I guess I can imagine back where demons roam, it isn't so peaceful, hmm?"

"Not so much," Jin and Touya both answered.

"Even back in Zexen all there is is noise," the ice master explained as he walked the grassy streets of the Alma Kinan Village. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, he shrugged at the two women. "So, you both were looking for us?"

"Yes, I was looking for Jin so we could continue our reading lesson," Piper felt need to point out as she grabbed onto his wrist to yank it playfully. "It sure has been awhile since we last had such a lesson!"

"And I needed to talk to you about your condition," Neleen said as she looked right into Touya's eyes. The stare was enough to cause the demon to look away from her. With Piper pulling Jin away, Neleen did the same with Touya, heading towards the shaman Galleria's house. "So, obviously you are feeling a bit better. I haven't seen you brave the outdoors since you got here three weeks ago."

The wooden stairs creaked beneath Touya as he made it to the porch belonging to the one-story, wooden house Galleria lived within. "Yeah, I was actually glad to be out for once. It is nice to see the world instead of lying bedridden." With Neleen opening the door for him, he bowed slightly to her for his thanks before stepping inside. "I haven't felt the slightest bit unsettled since I got out of bed too." Touya cautiously walked about the house as there were at least four cats running about. He tiptoed over them and made his way to the handmade sofa to have a seat.

Neleen made a quick stop by the cabinet to pull out a glass. "Did you want anything to drink? I can get you something if you want it."

"Just water is good, thank you," answered the ice demon as he placed his elbows on his thighs, gazing at the crystal ball right on the table in front of him. He could see some previously lit candles about it as well, making him wonder what went on. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Neleen handed over the water she had to Touya before sipping on her herbal tea. "I wanted to talk to you about something before Galleria looks you over again. I asked her to give me some time." One of the cats jumping in her lap, she made room for the tiger pelted kitten. "You, as demons, have your own powers, right?"

"My tribe is that of the ice demons," Touya explained as he lay back on the sofa to relax. "And Jin's tribe was that of wind demons; thus we both have our own abilities, which are in tuned to ice and wind. Why do you ask?"

She seemed a bit hesitant to ask her next question as she stroked the cat in her lap. "Well, I was curious, did your tribe ever have any special…runes?"

Hearing her ask such a thing caused Touya to be taken back to the True Water Rune he lost. "There was one in particular. There was a True Water Rune that belonged to my people and was passed down to me. I used to have it on me at all times, but during a run with Jin, the rune came out of my weapon, and I lost it." He didn't acknowledge Neleen's surprised expression as he looked into the glass he held. "If I had it, I might be able to cure myself and be done with all this mess that it has caused."

Neleen straightened out her dress with her hands once the cat removed itself from her lap. "Touya, what would you say if I told you that this clan's primary duty for a good while now was to protect the True Water Rune that you lost?"

Touya shot his eyes at Neleen quickly and with his mouth slightly open. "E-Excuse me? Do you know where my rune is!" He exclaimed quietly between them.

She pointed to the crystal ball in front of him as well as the candles that had obviously been used previously. "Well, as you see, I was busy with a ritual here. I saw you in the past dealing with your rune. But, my vision into the past and future is very clouded, so I couldn't make out what rune you were holding," she admitted while moving her hands slightly near her head. "You say you lost that rune?" Seeing him nod, Neleen continued. "Well, long ago, our people found it here within these woods. It caught the eye of one of our younger villagers when she was out exploring. We know about the True Runes and the great power they posses. But, it has been advised to keep such things under a powerful magic field until the true barrier can use it. Runes choose their masters, and we dared not try to wield its power when we knew nothing of it."

"If you had used it, I would have been too weak to pick up on its signal anyways. Not like I would have found you," Touya explained as he rubbed a slight soreness in his throat. "So where is my rune? Where did you put it?"

"It is hidden behind a door, deep within a cave system. The door leads to the old Cyndar Ruins. Within that chaotic maze, the True Rune will be found," Neleen explained. "It is surrounded by a barrier that the Alma Kinan have sealed it within—the same can be said for the door leading to the ruins."

"So my rune is safe then?" Touya opened his hands briefly before intertwining his fingers once more. "Well, this is great. Just great! That means I can go and get my rune back and possibly fight off this sickness."

The door up the stairs opened slowly to reveal Galleria. She had overheard part of the conversation, as she was hoping that the two were done a bit earlier. "Touya, it isn't that simple." She made her way down the steps slowly to the vacant spot next to the ice demon. "While we would be more then happy to return what is rightfully yours, you're not that well to make this trip."

Rolling his eyes back, Touya rested his head on the cushioning of the couch he was upon. "Why is it I am always way too sick for something!" He exclaimed angrily. "I am fine! I feel fine!"

Galleria shifted her eyes over to Neleen with a simple nod. "Can you leave the two of us alone?"

Neleen raised her hand as if to argue with that notion, but she answered the shaman's wishes regardless. Pushing herself off of the sofa she was on, she made her way back outside.

The brown eyes of the shaman followed Neleen until she was out of the room. She noticed the ice master didn't feel like looking at anything else but that crystal ball before him, as he appeared to be a bit embarrassed about his outburst. "The seal we have put around your rune isn't so easy to break, Touya." Galleria obviously had his attention as he looked to her now. "In order to do so, we would need to send someone to the spirit world to release the barrier."

Touya was quiet for a little bit before speaking. "A sacrifice?"

"We put a barrier around it, because we weren't sure if it were a good idea for such a powerful rune to fall into the wrong hands." She turned to Touya and opened her palms to him. "Let me see your hands." Galleria knew he wasn't sure what this was all about, but she was relieved to see he did as she asked. "You are still quite cold to me." Galleria ran her fingers over his palms to pick up the energy reading on them. "You did once hold the True Water Rune long ago. I can sense the power of it still within your hands."

"I guess you Grasslanders will never trust the word of a demon." Touya took his hands back after Galleria was done examining them. "While none of you know how the True Water Rune works, I do. It has healing abilities like non have ever seen before."

Galleria's palm faced Touya's body as she felt the energy he had inside of him. "I think you don't understand the situation you are in, Touya. Your body is so badly damaged from whatever it is that has you, that there is a very slim chance the rune would even work for you. It may heal the sickness, but the damage left in its wake would certainly need tending to." She closed her eyes to focus on the inner pain his soul was going through. "Your lung tissue and everything is in such bad shape. I wish I knew what this was." She put her hand back into her lap. "Have you been coughing any?"

"No," answered Touya simply with a shake of his head.

"Burning up at all?"

"No."

"Anything at all that I should be aware of?"

"No, everything has been fine for the most part. I've still been slightly lethargic but that is it."

Getting to her feet, Galleria made her way to the cupboard. Opening it, she pulled out a glass and a few things to make the medicine she usually made for the ice master when it came to his temperature of all things. She knew crushing up some special ice crystals that usually lasted all year long with cold water would keep him at his normal temperature. It always did the trick whenever he complained about being too warm when he first arrived. "If you want your rune back, we can give it to you, Touya, but keep in mind a few things to consider before going for it," she insisted, handing the drink over to him.

Touya was speechless at what all had been said to him. He just sat there staring off at nothing in particular thinking about his options. Not wishing to voice them, he kept them to himself during the remainder of that visit.

Jin was continuing his reading lessons from Piper most of that afternoon. They chose a nice spot out about the village to read, as they both agreed it was far too nice a day to stay inside to do so. Finishing the page that Piper had given to him, he handed it back over to the Grassland woman. "Good, good," she praised. "You seem to be getting better. Before you know it you will be able to read every written word out there."

"Thanks to you, I will be able to," Jin said with a thankful smile.

Piper blushed at his comment. "So, how is Touya been doing? I have to admit I've never seen him up and about before." Her slender fingers turned a few pages to try and find another that Jin could read that may have a few words he hadn't been introduced to yet.

Jin's smile turned into a serious frown as he thought about his friend. "I am glad he is walking around more, but his personality is still as dreary as ever." He gazed up at the clear blue sky upon feeling the wind caressing his wild hair. "I know it has always been within Touya's nature to be cold and aloof, but I was hoping I could eventually break him of that." Jin fidgeted a bit thinking about his partner. "And with him always talking about death…I just don't know."

Closing the book, Piper placed her hand on Jin's shoulder. "Why don't you talk to him a bit more? I just think with him even getting better, he still has it in his mind he is going to die." When Jin looked at her, she smiled reassuringly. "Just talk to him, Jin. Let him know he has someone to live for at the very least."

Knowing she was right, Jin nodded at Piper. "I will try talking to him tonight. Thank you, Piper." He ran his fingers through his hair while clearing his throat. "So where were we?"

--

With the moon high in the sky, Touya sat out and about by himself just to gaze up at it upon a fallen tree stump. He didn't wish to return back to the inn to have Jin chat his ear off, as he needed time to think about what to do with himself. His narrow eyes watched each of the stars sparkle in and out about the sky. The stars reflecting in his cold eyes, he closed them for a moment to take in a deep breath and release it. "I have very few options," he whispered somberly. "I should just accept death and be done with it."

With his eyes closed, he saw Jin suddenly in the darkness causing him to open them rather quickly. "Jin…!" He said softly to himself.

_Touya_, the image of Jin seemed to call to him. Jin turned around in his mind's eye with a bright, carefree smile on his face. The image fading out into the darkness again before showing Jin again but with a more worried expression _Touya, are you okay…?_

Having the images flash one after the other of the wind master, Touya grabbed his head and shook it. "Stop it! Stop it!" He yelled angrily as he fell to his knees.

_Touya_, Jin seemed to call again. Touya's eyes widened as he saw himself staring out at the horizon with the wind demon beside him. It was some time after they had found their way to Zexen after his tribe exiled him. He could remember the feel of the breeze and the smell of the sea when Jin turned to him with a worried frown. _We'll always be together, right?_

The fist of the ice master hit the ground beneath him as he started to shake violently. He fought the tears that threatened to come. "Jin, I am sorry…I cannot live like this anymore! I can't!" Looking somberly ahead, he could feel the water welling up in his eyes. "I am dying…why can't you accept that…? I am tired of suffering!" A single tear managing to make its way from his eyes, Touya was shocked to feel it roll down his cheek and suddenly harden. He heard the tear tap the solid ground. His mouth open, he couldn't find the words to speak as he looked down at the tear and what had become of it. Taking it into his hand, he pocketed it carefully. When a single branch cracked not too far from where he was, Touya got defense upon wiping his eyes clean. "Who's there!" He demanded to know as he got to his feet.

Jin made his presence known as he came from behind the tree with a worried look upon his face. "There you are, Touya. I was worried. Why didn't you come back to the inn?" He made a slow advance towards the ice demon. Jin saw Touya turn from him as if to hide some sort of shame. "T-Touya…? What is wrong?"

Not wishing to see Jin's expression, Touya kept his back to his partner to conceal himself in the darkness of the night. "Jin, I am afraid that I have made my decision about what I want to do."

"A-And…?" Jin stammered, as he didn't like Touya's tone.

"I have decided to live out my final days here in Alma Kinan," said Touya as stern as possible. "I don't want to take anymore medicine or anything of the nature. I just want to—."

"Don't say that!" Interrupted Jin quickly as he closed his eyes and clutched his fists at his sides. "Why the hell do you have to be so God damn stubborn!" Blinded by his anger, he walked over to Touya to turn him around forcefully just so he could punch him across the face. He knew as far as demons went, the punch wasn't going to harm Touya much and merely would shock him into thinking logically, if even that. Watching the weak demon fall to his hands and knees, Jin stood there shaking in a mixture of anger and sadness. "I don't care what it takes! I am not going to let you die!"

Hearing Jin starting to sob, Touya closed his eyes hating to hear such a painful sound. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth on the back of his hand, he got to his feet and turned to the wind master. Stepping into the moonlight where Jin stood, he reached out for the demon for a second only to stop and withdraw his fingers slightly before actually reaching to touch Jin's cheek, which was now stained with his own tears. "Jin," he whispered between the two of them. Jin almost refused to look at Touya, causing the ice master to come closer and attempt to gaze into his eyes. "You've never cried like this before." Seeing the tears himself soon enough when Jin did gaze at him, Touya pressed his forehead against the wind demon's. "I am a horrible person having hurt you like this. I am sorry."

Jin bit his lower lip before hugging the ice master close to him. "I don't want to lose you…" he whispered through his tears.

Touya allowed Jin to rest on his shoulder and cry throughout most of the night before the two of them returned back to the inn. The wind demon pretended to be asleep for the most part as he kept his back to Touya. When he heard the ice master lightly breathing to indicate he was sleeping finally, Jin turned around to look at him before pushing himself up to stare down at his partner. Not wishing to cry again, he turned his focus from Touya and headed outside to the balcony. Looking angrily up at the moonlit sky, his eyes shook with the tears, which threatened to fall. His fists hitting the wooden railing, he bared his fangs. "You can't have him…!" He said angrily to the heavens. "**YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!**" Jin yelled loudly. His nails digging into his palms, they began to bleed from the force he was putting upon them.

Within the surrounding forest, Neleen was out and about when she heard the wind master yelling to the sky. She stayed out of sight within the woods when she saw him come out of the inn. Hearing such a thing brought her to her knees at having to hear a grown man eventually cry.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Author's Notes**_: Writers block plus the inability to concentrate = **MUST SMASH NOW!**

If you're wondering why this one is getting so much attention lately, it is because I am hell bent on completing it. =P

* * *

The next morning Touya woke up, he found Jin sitting at the bedside with his back turned to him. He still felt a bit awkward about wanting to talk to the redhead as he pulled the covers from his body to sit upright in bed. "Jin…."

Hearing his name, Jin closed his eyes tightly not wishing to respond to his lover. He lowered his head further in sadness with a deep sigh. With his ears back to normal, he could hear the ice master coming closer to him. The feel of his cold hand upon his shoulder, Jin reached up to place his on top of it. "You're not truly thinking of going through with what you just said last night…are you?"

"Jin, I am sorry," Touya whispered. "I know it is hard for you to understand, but I cannot fight this illness anymore. All I am going to be is the doctor and shaman's guinea pig, and I cannot stand it."

Jin pulled from Touya at what he had to say still. "Were you lying to me?" He demanded to know quietly between the two of them.

"What?" Touya asked with a confused expression. "What are you talking about?"

"You promised me that we would always be together," said Jin as he stared off into the darkness of their room lit only by the sunlight of that morning. He held onto himself to embrace his shaking body. "I cannot believe you're giving up now!" Jin spun around quickly to stare down his partner. "Why are you giving up!"

Touya didn't wish to express that his True Water Rune was somewhere nearby right under their noses. He didn't want someone to sacrifice themselves just to release the barrier on it, so he could have a possibility of living. He avoided Jin's furious eyes, closing his with an expression full of cold seriousness. "I have my reasons. I am sorry I cannot give them to you just yet, but you have to trust me on this one."

Jin clutched his fists in anger before turning around to storm out of the room. Slamming the door behind him, he made his way past Piper and Dr. Sur'don who were just about to go to talk to the demons. When Piper attempted to stop Jin, she withdrew the notion as she saw the furious glare in his eyes when he passed her.

"My goodness, I wonder what is wrong?" Piper said aloud to the doctor once Jin left the inn hallway.

"I am not sure, and I don't want to stop that demon to find out, so let's ask the other one," Dr. Sur'don insisted as he knocked on Touya and Jin's bedroom door. "Touya, are you still in there? I need to talk to you."

Touya sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Come in." He watched as the doctor and young Grassland woman slowly made their way inside. "Saw Jin on the way here, I suppose." He could tell that they were walking rather nervously towards him. Touya sat back down on Jin's rather messy bed. "I am sorry about that. It was something I said and that I have decided."

"Dare I ask what it is you have decided to cause him to react such a way?" Dr. Sur'don wandered as he joined the ice demon on the bed.

"Doctor, I do appreciate everything you and the shaman have done for me," Touya expressed. He sighed heavily in attempts to keep himself together. "But, after a talk with the shaman last night, I think I might be better off just letting this sickness take its course and have it be done with." He heard Piper gasp at his decision and the doctor seemed to even admit his shock silently as well.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Dr. Sur'don asked, as he didn't want the patient to pass even if it was a creature he feared. When he witnessed Touya nod, he looked off to the side thinking about Jin. "Touya, I am not blind to what is going on between you two. I know it is frowned upon by most to be with the same gender, but…as I see it, the one you love is suffering over your decision. Do you think this is wise?"

Touya huffed lightly through his nostrils as he tightened his grip on his baggy pants he had on. "I've been thinking of him for a long time. I have been trying to live for his sake, but I just cannot do it anymore." He seemed to look away in shame at having to admit such a thing.

The doctor witnessed Piper cover her mouth in shock at what Touya had to say about it all. "Well then, as your doctor for the time being, I will respect your wishes, and I will make sure that your death is not so painful." Dr. Sur'don removed himself from Touya's side with a sigh. "I will stop giving you the treatment I was giving you prior. If anything is hurting you to the point you need medicine or something, just let me know." He was about to leave the ice master alone but stopped just down the steps of the bedroom. "You do realize you're going to be bedridden until the sickness takes you, right?" His fingers tapped against the wooden pillar within the room.

The icy orbs of the ice master shifted about the floor. He wanted to be free of the bedroom, but he was aware the only way that would truly happen was if he were to die. "I know," he whispered for them to hear.

Jin was outside trying to calm himself down after Touya's realization of what he wanted to do with himself. He was sitting upon a rock formation deeper within the forest listening to the birds chirp peacefully and the water flow down the stream not but a few feet from him. "I hate this…dammit, Touya, you're so damn stubborn!" He growled to himself. Hearing a twig snap caught the wind master's attention. He snapped his attention over in the direction of the sound with a low growl. "Who is there?"

Neleen made her appearance just behind the demon. She looked rather concerned when she came into the sunlight. "Jin, are you okay?" She asked, keeping her distance from the obviously angered demon. She placed her back to the tree Neleen had been hiding behind. When the wind demon didn't answer, she sighed heavily. "I know why you're upset." The eyes of Jin upon her, she rolled her teeth over her lower lip. "I heard you last night when I was out patrolling."

Jin was quiet, as he felt a bit embarrassed to have someone catch him at such a vulnerable time. "You heard that, hu?" He removed himself from where he was sitting to make his way over towards the lake to just gaze within it.

"He told the shaman what he wanted to do," Neleen went onwards. "But I never heard anything about it until your outburst last night…I think I have an idea what he may have chosen."

"He wants to die," Jin answered somberly as he picked up a nearby pebble to toss it across the lake water. "He doesn't want to bother with the fact he could possibly fight off the disease, he wants to just sit there and die!" He growled angrily upon the last word before tossing another pebble into the water.

Neleen accepted some of the bravery returning to her as she slowly advanced towards the wind master. "You do know that while we could probably work on fighting off the illness, we would eventually grow old and die while you both continued to live forever. There is no way to truly cure what has a hold of your friend." Jin was silent after what she had to say. Nervously she placed her hand upon his shoulder. "But, I do know there is probably a way to make this better."

Jin's ears perked up quickly upon her comment. He turned to her with eagerness to hear more. "What-what is it? Tell me!"

She waved over towards the village. "Come. I cannot afford to say this aloud as there are too many ears that may hear it." Neleen grabbed Jin's wrist gently and helped him through the woodlands back to the main village. Her house was a one-story and almost to the very back of Alma Kinan. Opening the door for him, she closed it behind her before moving to the windows to move the curtains over them. Her fingers held onto the drapes for a bit on the last window she was to conceal, thinking about it all. "What I talked about with Touya—I don't want you to repeat it to him, okay? I think it is wise if he thinks you don't know about it."

Jin shrugged as he placed his hands on his thighs. "I am listening. What is it?"

Neleen made her way to the sofa Jin was sitting upon with her hands in her lap. "I told Touya that I knew he once held a powerful rune, and I was curious what it was. He told me it was the True Water Rune, and we found that rune a good while ago."

The wind master was nearly left dumbfounded under that statement alone. "You-you have his rune? You have the one thing that can heal him!"

She raised her hands as if to lower his voice and keep him quiet. "Yes, but there are catches to this, Jin." Neleen went on to explain the exact same thing she and the shaman did prior to Touya, resulting in the ice master's decision. Hearing of the illness curing him but possibly leaving him permanently damaged from it, Jin's hope faded just as Touya's did. "Now do you see why he chose what he did?"

Lowering his head, Jin shook it with a heavy sigh. "I wish he had told me this," he mostly mumbled to himself though Neleen could hear him. "But, he knows I would take care of him with whatever would harm him afterwards. He knows that…he _**should**_ know that."

"You care a lot for your friend," Neleen seemed to say in wonder and quiet shock. "I am sure you didn't want to come all this way just to have it be in vain. The thing is…I can release the magical lock upon the door, but I have to wait for the next full moon to do so as well as be ready for such a task with the others." She carefully reached over to touch Jin's hand. "If you are willing to wait, I will try my best to focus on this ritual, and you can go into the temples alone to find his rune."

"If you get that lock down, I will walk through the temples a thousand times over just to get that rune if I have to," Jin said seriously. He clutched his fists at the mere thought.

Neleen nodded at what he had to say. "Alright. I will have to talk to the shaman to see about a few things." She opened the door for Jin to leave her house so she could prepare herself emotional for such a thing. "Demons are interesting creatures," she said almost randomly as Jin was making it down her wooden steps. "You think all they care for are themselves and anything they can get their hands on. But even you two can prove not all beings are born as to what they appear."

"We were born evil," Jin answered, as he peered over his shoulder. "But what was born in sin can still find the light. That is what I like to believe." With that said, the wind master headed back to the inn to find Touya.

Upon arriving, he made it to his bedroom to find no trace of Touya. He looked about the double bedroom confused. "Touya?" He called as he walked further into the empty space. "I wonder where he went."

"He's not here," called Piper from the bedroom door. "He went out to look about the village some more." With her hands before her dress, she fidgeted slightly. "Touya said he wanted to look at the world a bit more before it is too late for him." Piper caught the sorrowful look on Jin's face at the mere mention of such a thing. Her own heart stung in pain for the two. "Jin, I am sorry."

"I need to find him." Jin straightened up upon this moment. Heading out onto the balcony, he took quickly to the skies without another word to Piper. Feeling where the demon's energy was located, he made his way there deep within the woodlands.

With his knees to his chest and his chin upon his knees, Touya was merely gazing out at the world he knew he would be unable to see for some time. "The dark path you spoke of, Elder," he whispered to himself, "is this what you were referring to? You made it sound like I deserved it." The wind began to blow about his bi-colored hair causing Touya to lift his head slightly in intrigue before realizing who it was. "Jin?"

"I am glad I found you." Jin landed and made his way over to Touya to hug him tightly without a second thought.

Touya expressed his confused face before pushing back a bit from the tight hug. "Jin, what has gotten into you all of a sudden?" When he was free from the wind demon's embrace, he straightened out his shirt, which got all wrinkled in the process.

"I am going to set everything straight," said Jin as he held onto Touya's upper arms as if to keep him still. The ice demon obviously didn't want to be touched as he shot Jin a rather irritably look of wanting to be let go. "I promise you this."

Rolling his eyes and shrugging at Jin's incoherent babble, Touya crossed his arms over his chest. "Do I want to know what has gotten into that air headed mind of yours?"

Jin shook his finger slightly at the mere thought of spilling a secret he was asked to keep. "I am not allowed to say just what yet, but I do make that promise, and I intend to keep it."

Touya looked about on the ground as if to gather his thoughts before gazing back at his partner. "Jin, do you not want to hear what I have to say about the matter?" With Jin going quiet to let him say what needed to be said, Touya rubbed his upper arms with a heavy sigh. "I just want you to be there while I go through this. All I want is you there, okay?"

"Why would I be anywhere else?" Jin asked with a quizzical look.

Lowering his arms, he opened them for the wind demon to be more inviting about a hug this time. "Just promise me that," he whispered against Jin's chest. "I can take being killed swiftly by a sword or any foe, but not when I am going to be slowly dying. A swift death would be better then this."

Jin embraced Touya tightly, resting his chin upon his soft hair with his eyes closed tightly. "I wouldn't leave you during such a time. I promise. If I ever did, it would be to find you hope." Upon saying that, all Jin could think about was the information Neleen had given him. A smile gracing his lips, he nuzzled into Touya's hair contently with his eyes closed.

* * *

The months that slowly passed seemed to be agonizingly slow for Jin and Touya both. With each passing week, Touya seemed to be getting worse again as he refused to accept any help or medicine from anyone. He wanted the sickness to take its course, and he was serious about that. Jin every day went to Neleen to ask about the ritual she needed to perform only to get the same response of giving it some time. He sat on the bedside by the ice master making sure Touya was at least comfortable. Later that evening, he found the demon stirring and moaning in a bit of misery.

"Touya?" He called as he reached over to touch his forehead. Jin found it to be rather warm, as the ice demon was obviously sweating profusely. Knowing it had to be the heat getting to him, he quickly got to his feet and grabbed the bowl he usually filled with cold water as instructed to do so. Running out of the inn and into the woods, he made it to the closest stream to fill it back up as it had all become lukewarm. "Come on; come on," he mumbled to himself as he got the water back in the bowl, so he could fly back to Touya.

Landing back at the inn, he put the bowl down near the floor after dipping a towel within it to place upon Touya's forehead. The shock of the cold caused Touya's eyes to fly open and take in a deep breath. "J-Jin…?" He wondered as he gazed over at his partner. "What happened?"

"You were burning up," said Jin with concern as he touched the back of Touya's head. "Are you feeling any better?"

Sitting upright in the bed, Touya removed the cloth for a moment to dab in certain places on his face that might lighten the horrible feel on his skin. "Yeah, I should be okay." He sighed heavily, putting the towel away back in the bowl. "Thank you, Jin."

"You're getting worse with each passing day." Jin's tone was obviously filled with concern and worry. "I don't know why you feel you must go through with this."

Touya knew Jin still wasn't very accepting of his decision, but as far as the ice demon knew, Jin knew nothing about the ritual required to break the seal on the door holding his rune. "I have my reasons," said Touya after a small period of silence. "And for that, I am sorry."

"So damn stubborn," growled Jin angrily as he clutched his fists. "Leave it to me to have to watch you suffer!" With that in mind, he turned away from Touya and walked back out of the inn to get some fresh air and try to relax. He didn't want to explode on Touya given his condition. The fresh air gracing him, Jin leaned against the wooden pillar structure holding up part of the inn just down the steps. He knew he couldn't take much more of this, but he couldn't rush Neleen either. Not in the mood for walking around by himself, he stayed where he was, gazing up at the setting sun.

Piper was coming back from her time at the market when she happened to spy the redhead outside. "Jin?" She wondered as she made her way up to the demon. "What is wrong?" Her dainty hands held the woven basket rather sternly, hoping for the best response when it came to him.

"Touya is still…in bad shape," answered Jin as he refused to look Piper in the eyes. He tried not to put so much force on the wooden structure being clawed at slightly by his nails thanks to nervousness, knowing he could possibly bring it down. "I just don't know what to do anymore. This used to be so easy for me, as I was used to it all before." Jin's eyes swirled with tears he refused to let slide down his cheeks. "But once he was getting better, I thought everything would be back to the way it was, you know?"

Thinking about the situation, a brief smile dawned Piper as she came to an idea. "You used to tell me back when Touya was bedridden, he would read a good bit of the time. Jin, you can read to him now." She came a bit closer to the demon now staring at her. "Just find a book and give it a go! I have no doubt you'll do well."

Jin closed his eyes as if to ignore that suggestion all together before smiling at remembering at how much Touya did enjoy reading. "You're right. Maybe I should give it a try. He hasn't heard me read though he knows I cannot."

Piper merely nodded glad she could inspire the demon. "I am sure you have enough books on you to cycle through. I'll fix us something to eat tonight. We can all eat together when you're both finished."

"Thank you, Piper." Jin made his way back into the inn, heading back to the room he and Touya both shared. He opened the door slowly to find Touya there in bed upright, appearing to be thinking about something. "Touya?" He called from the doorway before entering the room. Catching the attention of the ice master, he slowly made his way over towards him. "I am sorry about storming out. I just-I don't want you to die."

Touya didn't turn to Jin right away. He continued to gaze out at the balcony. "Jin, do you remember when the elder back at my village told me he could see me going down a dark road?" He finally looked to Jin with a deep sigh. "Well, I think that is the road he was referring to. As soon as I left the village, I was to be viaticum to this fate. There was no way to escape it." Coughing harshly, he covered his mouth only to have blood splatter his hands lightly as he did so.

Rushing to Touya's side, he grabbed a glass of water to give to him. "Just drink it. It will make you feel better." The ice demon appeared to refuse as he gently pushed away the item. "Touya, stop being stubborn!" When the coughing lessened, Touya finally accepted the glass Jin held. "I swear, you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days."

"I'll be fine," Touya assured him as he shifted his icy orbs up at the wind demon. He couldn't help but find the chest of his companion rather inviting as he rested his head upon it. "Even though you are not happy with my decision, I am glad you are here."

Jin hid his fake smile while Touya rested upon his chest. "I know you don't like being stuck in this room, so I brought you something." Pulling out a book he had in the stash that they brought with them, he showed the informative book to Touya with the biggest smile he could offer given the circumstances. "I thought you might like it, because it tells of the outside world beyond the Grassland Clans and Zexen cities."

Touya chuckled lightly, closing his eyes. "Jin, I am too weak to even considering opening up a page and reading it."

"That is why I am going to read it for you," said Jin as he pressed the leather book cover to himself, mindful of Touya's head.

Hearing him announce such a thing caught Touya off guard. He looked up at Jin with a raise of his brow. "You can read now?"

"Don't act so surprised now!" Jin insisted, feeling almost offended by his remark.

"I meant no offense," said Touya with a light chuckle against his hand. "I just-I never expected you to take the time to learn to read for whatever reasons."

"I wanted to it in case you couldn't find the energy to do so," said Jin honestly. He smiled at Touya's surprised expression, holding him closer to his body. "As much as I didn't want that moment to come, I knew I had better be prepared for it in case it did."

Touya covered up his surprised expression, realizing he was gawking too much, upon shifting his head downwards with a slight grin. "I know I can always count on you to make me feel better even when I am at my worst." Closing his eyes, he listened to Jin read the words about the worlds overseas and beyond the boundaries of their clans and stonewalls belonging to Zexen. Having someone read to him for a change was a nice breather, as he closed his eyes and found himself being lulled to sleep by the sound of Jin's voice.

--

Jin remained with Touya throughout most of the evening. He too even found himself dozing off at one point while he absentmindedly stroked Touya's hair. The sound of someone coming towards their room caught the wind demon's acute hearing as he opened his eyes just in time to see the door slowly open to reveal Neleen. He sat upright in bed to show he sensed her prior and wasn't asleep. "Neleen, is that you?"

"Jin, I need to speak to you," she urged in a whisper, waving him over through the shadows of the room.

Moving himself cautiously from Touya, he made sure his companion was helped down to the bed for the time being and covered up before tiptoeing across the floorboards to the door. "What is it?" He asked as he made his way into the hallway with her.

"I need to speak to you outside," Neleen insisted as she headed towards the exit of the inn. The shaman woman silently made it through the building filled with a few people who were asleep, making sure not to disturb anyone. Her boots hitting the cool grass, she waited for the front door to be closed behind Jin before speaking. "Tomorrow night will be the dawning of the next full moon I need to perform the ritual I have in mind to do. I will be able to do it and release the seal upon the door, but it will be up to you to break the seal on the True Water Rune."

"How do I do such a thing?" Jin pondered as he cupped his chin in thought and tapped his foot lightly upon the ground. "I don't have any special abilities other then the wind I control, and I doubt that is going to help."

Neleen closed her eyes to concentrate on her vision before gazed up at the towering demon before her. "You will be able to. With the love you have for your friend, I have no doubt you will find a way." Rubbing her upper arms, she seemed to be rather nervous about something with the way she presented herself. "Regardless of what happens, Jin, I truly hope you and your friend make it through this."

Jin raised his brows slightly wondering why she was talking the way she was. "If you have something you need to tell me, please do."

She shook her head before turning away. "No, it isn't important. Do not worry about me. Please, focus on the time you have with your friend. No matter what, I don't want there to be any regrets between you two."

He watched in the moonlit night as Neleen hurried off back to her house. A major part of him was relieved but also worried regarding her words to him as well as her actions. Either way, Jin knew he had a long journey ahead of him, and he had better be prepared. Turning around, he headed back to the inn for the night to get packed for leaving.


	22. Chapter 22

Jin was so nervous the entire night he hardly slept well. When he was able to sleep, he was unable to wake up in time as the ice master. Touya was wondering why Jin was sleeping so late, prompting him to shake the redhead somewhere around mid afternoon. "Jin, you have to wake up. It is getting quite late."

Moaning softly from not sleeping too well, Jin slowly opened his blue eyes to the room lit mostly by the sun. "I am sorry," he apologized wearily while rubbing his eyes. "I just couldn't sleep too well last night, I suppose." His eyes clean of any sleep, he moved to the side of Touya's bed to try and wake himself up.

"It isn't like you to sleep so late," pointed out Touya as he rested his cheek upon Jin's shoulder. His arms wrapped around the redhead's chest, Touya held onto him there. "What has gotten you so exhausted these past few weeks?"

Jin knew that Neleen didn't want him to speak of such a thing to the ice master, causing him to bite his lower lip, as he hated lying to his closest friend. "Don't worry too much about it, Touya," he said in attempts to sway Touya from thinking anymore on it. Jin placed his hand upon the icy chill of the ice master's, turning to him. "Just know that I love you, and I am trying my best to cure you of this." When he saw Touya about to tell him it was impossible, he leaned in quickly for a kiss to stop the ice demon from doing so.

The kiss did indeed stop Touya from speaking much else on the situation as he managed a weak smile at the wind demon. "I just hope you don't taste the blood on my breath," he whispered between them insecurely.

"I don't mind it," said Jin in return before excusing himself from the bed for the time being. "You didn't catch a bath yet, have you?" He knew that whenever Touya needed one, he always had to be escorted to do so considering he was losing so much of his energy.

"No, the doctor came in to check on me, but that was about it. I told him I would be fine if you bathed me as you have been doing the past few months." Touya paused in his words, hissing in pain as he grabbed onto his throat. "God, it hurts so bad even when I just swallow."

Jin frowned in worry as he held onto the crippled ice master. "Come on," said the wind demon. "I will get you cleaned up at least." His gazed graced the outside world beyond the balcony doors. "How about we go outside and get cleaned up?" Touya gazing at him awkwardly, he elaborated. "What I mean is, we go deep into the forest where nobody will find us and get cleaned up in the river."

Grabbing both of their towels, Touya wrapped them around himself as the cool morning air graced him. It was a bit painful for him to breathe in, but he managed as Jin guided him through the boundaries of the Alma Kinan. The sound of the water trickling down the calm stream leading to a body of lake water ahead brought a smile to Jin's face as he helped Touya down upon a nearby rock formation to help him get undressed.

"The weather isn't too intense for you, is it?" He asked aloud, removing the towels from his body as well as his shirt.

"It only hurts a bit when I breathe, but I will make it," Touya insisted, as he was soon unclothed for stepping into the stream.

Having to see Touya's body unclothed for the first time in daylight made Jin whence inwardly. He hadn't realized how much weight his companion had lost upon seeing his chest bones and ribs. "You haven't been eating well, I can see."

Touya looked over at Jin slightly out of the corner of his eyes before looking back down at the water, cooling his heated body. "I cannot swallow food too well. You know that." Having the water wash over his demonic form, he tried to avoid the conversation. "My throat hurts too much for me to even think of swallowing anything, including air."

Jin followed behind Touya into the lake water. Wrapping his arms around the ice master, he held him close to his body. Closing his eyes, he buried his nose into the bi-colored tresses of the ice demon. "I promised you I would watch out for you and take care of you. I will keep that promise," he whispered within Touya's hair.

Not having the energy to say much else in the situation, Touya merely nodded while continuing to clean himself. His eyes drifted about the beauty of the forest, putting a bit of peace to his heart. He knew if anything, he was lucky to witness such a thing with his time growing so short.

--

When night covered the world once again, Jin knew this was the night that Neleen was going to perform the ritual she promised him. Stepping outside of the inn, he found a few of the villagers standing around with several lit torches. The fire's light dancing upon his skin, Jin made his way into the small crowd to search for Neleen only to find Galleria. "Hey, Galleria, where is Neleen?" Jin asked as he made it over to the shaman.

Galleria turned towards the dirt path leading to the shrine. "She is getting prepared for the ritual of sending the soul."

Jin wiggled his ears slightly, not liking the sound of what she just said. "Excuse me? What exactly does this entail?"

"I suppose she never told you then, did she?" Galleria sighed to herself, shying away from the look on Jin's face. "When we break the seal on the door leading to the true rune once belonging to your friend, we have to offer a sacrifice to the Gods in order to do so." She heard Jin gasp in shock during her explanation. "I am sure she didn't tell you this, because she felt bad for the situation and wanted to help."

"But she didn't have to do this!" Jin insisted almost angrily. His yelling causing most of the villagers to go quiet and back away from the wind master. "She should have told me this was what was going to happen!"

Neleen could hear the outraged demon just around the turn of the dirt path she was walking upon. A tender smile gracing her, she made it to the confused demon to place her hand upon his back. "Jin, come with me this way, please."

"Neleen, if we want this to work," said a nearby villager, "we don't have time to waste."

She nodded at the woman's concern. "Do not worry. This will only be a moment." Neleen placed her hands on Jin's shoulders to turn him down the road, which would lead them to the shrine. The shrine coming into view, a ray of the full moonlight seemed to illuminate each of the carvings and designs on the stone structure within the tree trunk. "Jin, the reason I didn't tell you about the soul sending ritual is, because I knew, just like Touya, you would have picked the alternative regardless of your feelings for him." She knew it was dawning upon Jin now why Touya probably chose what he did. "Touya didn't want there to be any sacrifice to save his life. While that's an unusually kind thing for a demon to do, I know as well as him that there is a chance the rune could heal him completely of this sickness."

"But why do you have to take the fall for this?" Jin asked.

"Because of my gift to see the past and future," Neleen answered, turning to the wind master. "I was meant for this ritual if it were to ever occur." Once again, she attempted to comfort Jin by placing her hand upon his broad shoulder. "Do not look so upset. In the end, your friend will be saved, and I believe that is all that matters here. If I didn't want to help, I wouldn't be offering to do this."

The sound of the villagers caught both of their attention. With the torches lighting up the darkened path, Galleria came towards the two. "Neleen, we better do this now while there is time to do so."

Jin shook his head at Galleria. "No, I didn't mean for it to be like this!" He exclaimed, as he wanted to stop the ritual. "If I had know, I wouldn't have suggested you do this!"

Neleen closed her eyes and shook her head at Jin's outburst. "I thank you for your concern, demon, but it is my time to go. I foresaw this, and I was ready for it." Her heart couldn't help but feel a bit of joy at the mere thought of witnessing what she had with the two demons. "The seal on the door will be released, and you can save the one you love. Do not fret about me, wind demon." Stepping backwards slowly, she made her way towards the altar structure. The moonlight covering her entire body, her form appeared to be glowing as she closed her eyes and lifted her head up towards the sky to release her spirit into the heavens.

Watching with wide-eyes, Jin eventually turned away when Neleen's body and soul was nowhere to be found. "Pointless sacrifices," he growled almost angrily. "It is always better to die in battle then to give up your spirit in such a manner." He turned to Galleria with a shake of his wild, red hair. "And you call us demons barbaric."

Some of the villagers were obviously appalled by his statement, but the shaman woman was quick to raise her hand to keep anyone from lashing out. "We don't expect you to understand our ways, Jin," said Galleria almost sternly. "Neleen knew it was her time to go. Some of us never have that ability and are taken from this world by surprise. She was preparing herself for this moment, and now in the afterlife, she can watch over us all." Jin obviously was still not being understanding, but regardless, Galleria walked over towards him with her torch still firmly in hand. "But why waste time when your friend is suffering as he is? She did this for you both. It is wise you get as much sleep as you can so that in the morning, you may take off on your journey and find what is rightfully yours."

Jin was silent, listening to the shaman's words to him. "How can I face Touya after knowing his true reasons for wishing to just die? I went against his words." It was all he could think about as he turned from the village, heading back to the inn for the remainder of the night with the task of talking to Touya about what he had just done. Walking back up the wooden stairs to the Alma Kinan inn, he opened the creaking door slowly to step back inside of the dark main area before making it through the hallway to his bedroom he shared with Touya. His hand touching the wooden doorknob, he turned it slowly to allow himself inside.

The room was quiet, as Touya was obviously asleep. Jin could hear the rasping breathing the ice master took whenever he slept lately. It was difficult for him to listen to, knowing that Touya had a hard time breathing and swallowing. Jin was mindful of the pillars lining the room to keep the ceiling in place as he advanced towards his companion's bedside, which was basking in the moonlight. Jin's features darkened from the limited light in the room, he smiled down at Touya though it was quickly replaced by a somber frown at what had recently occurred.

Making sure not to rouse Touya, he lied down next to him carefully. "Oh, Touya," he whispered softly. "I am sorry; I am so, so sorry." The ice master didn't move or wake from his deep sleep, making Jin relieved, as he didn't want to explain the situation to the one he loved. He moved his hand carefully to the warmed cheek of his companion to brush the pallid skin gently. "Early in the morning, I have to leave to find your rune. I will return. I promise." Not bothering to move for the night, he closed his eyes and remained next to Touya. He knew catching at least a few hours would do him some good before making his way out to the cave system.

----

With the coming rise of the sun, Jin was out of bed in time. He grabbed some of his belongings he was going to take with him mostly being weapons and food to bare on his journey. Touya was still asleep when he woke, but he knew better then to wake him to speak of what happened last night. With a sorrowful sigh, he made sure to at least kiss Touya goodbye for the moment. "I will see you soon. Be well for me." Taking his leave of the room, he made his way to the main area of the inn to see Piper there, lounging about, it appeared.

"Jin?" She asked curiously as she saw the items he had with him. "Where are you going?"

He continued on his way out the door as Piper quickly followed behind. "I am afraid I have to look for the last resort to curing Touya's illness and having him be well again." Jin had a feeling she was just going to continue asking a series of questions he just didn't have time to answer. Turning around, he held onto her shoulders to keep Piper in place. "Please, I need to ask this one favor of you. I want you to stay here with Touya and make sure he is well and remains with us. I don't want him to slip into the abyss without me nearby."

Piper could tell he was serious and wanted her to do this for him more then anything. Hesitantly at first, she nodded her head several times. "Y-Yes, I will do this for you."

"Thank you," he praised quietly between them. "You are a good friend." Turning from her, he headed hastily for the front gates of the Alma Kinan where Galleria was waiting for him with a few of the villagers. He had a hard time wanting to face them, but he knew she was there to greet him for a reason. Stopping just outside of the clan gates, he nodded at the shaman woman.

"I have a feeling you still aren't very forgiving of what occurred last night," Galleria said aloud as she came closer to the wind master, who had his head lowered.

"I should have listened to Touya to begin with," Jin admitted as he shook his head. "Because of my mistake, I have to make up for it. I won't let Neleen's death be all for nothing."

Galleria smiled softly at the wind master. "She foresaw her death approaching and was ready to accept it." Digging into her pocket, she pulled out a map for the demon to use. "Take this with you. It will guide you to where the True Water Rune is being held. It may not mean much, but I hope you would accept our blessing on your journey."

Jin was about to shrug off the idea of such a thing, but decided he needed all of the help he could get—regardless of it being superstitious to him or not. "I would like that." He stood and watched as Galleria moved her arms about in a foreign fashion. It was almost as if she were doing a dance of some kind before bringing them back to her chest to bow to him. A smile expressed upon his face, he nodded to the shaman before turning and heading on his way.

Piper made her way into Touya's bedroom to find Dr. Sur'don already there. "Doctor, what are you doing here?" She made her way over to where he was resting upon Touya's bedside. The young woman was able to see he was very much into his work when it came to checking up and making sure the ice demon was alright. "Is he okay?"

Sur'don removed his fingers from the demon's neck with a quiet sigh. "His body cannot take much more of this," he quietly spoke as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I fear any day now he may die."

"Jin will eventually return with an answer!" Piper expressed enthusiastically. Her hands in fists, she shook them at the mere thought of how determined he was, knowing he wouldn't let Touya down. "He won't leave his friend to die. As we speak, he is on his way to find Touya's old, lost true rune, which may very well heal him."

Hearing of such a mythical item, the doctor's eyes widened for a moment as he stared at Piper in awe. "You mean this creature had one of those?" Witnessing her nod, he gazed back at the slumbering Touya. "I've read of such things but never believed they existed! He must have been quite powerful to have the powers he did as well as that true rune!"

"Just don't speak of what Jin is doing to him," said Piper as she clasped her breast. "We must keep his hopes alive while the wind demon is away."

The sound of Touya in discomfort snapped Sur'don's attention to the patient. The doctor's hands upon Touya's head and side, he tried to relax the demon while he slept uneasily in his condition. "Just hang in there. Jin will be back," he whispered to the sick demon. The ice master seemed to tense and then relax under the words coming to him.

The journey before Jin was a long one, and he was unable to find the cave system before nightfall. "Why would they bury it so deep within the woods?" He could only wonder as he came upon a spot to stop for the night. The sound of thunder catching his hearing, he perked his elfin ears at the sound, gazing up at the dark sky to find the lightening dashing about in the clouds in the distance. "I cannot afford this to happen now. I really should stop and rest, because I cannot find where I am going in the dark let alone if I am half asleep." Sighing softly, he sat down upon a moss-covered rock to recollect his thoughts. "I cannot let Touya down. He has never let me down before."

Jin thought back on some of the times he was sick and Touya was there to watch over him and care for him. Some of the kind and loving things he would let slip to make him feel better caused Jin to smile even then. The feel of rain however, tapping upon his nose, brought him back to the reality he was within. Sighing irritably at the conditions, he picked up his belongings and hurried to the nearest shelter.

His bare feet getting mudded by the coming downpour, he jumped into an opening of a cave he saw not too far away to take refuge there. Watching the rain cascade down just outside of the mouth of the cavern entrance, he rolled his eyes with a slight shrug, looking to his belongings for something to use for light. "There's got to be something around here." Coming across a decent piece of wood he could hold on the cave floor, he searched around for some rocks to use as well for flint. Striking them together, he was able to light up the piece of wood he found. "There," he mumbled, as he took his torch to hold it up to gaze down the cave.

The torch lighting most of the beginning of the cave, Jin widened his eyes at remembering what the entrance looked like to the cave system leading to the ruins he had to go within to find the true rune. Pillars made of stone and halfway embedded with the side of the caves made the pathway clear for him to follow. Several markings and text were written sloppily about the walls, but the language was not that he was familiar with. His fingers rolled over the markings as if to make them out only to find none of it made any sense to him. Picking up his belongings, he made his way slowly down the cave system, awing at the inside of it. "Whoever made this place sure did put a good bit of detail within it."

Jin felt as though he had walked for hours when he finally came upon some light. The doors he was told about that would lead him to the ruins of the fallen city were soon within his sight. They glowed a rather soft, gentle hue of light blue. The torches on either side of the wall had blue flame flickering about whenever the air teased them. He advanced upon the door slowly, almost entranced by the appearance of it. The regal design caught his attention, as it was nothing like he had ever seen before. "This must be it. This must be the door Neleen was speaking of," he said to himself as he placed his hand upon the double doors.

Whispers hissing across the empty cave spooked the wind master. He looked about to find himself to be the only one there at the moment. Believing it was all in his head, he frowned slightly with worry he was losing it before putting what strength he had into opening the two doors. The doors bathed in blue light slowly opened under the wind master's administrations to reveal a rather bright glow on the opposite side. Jin brought his arms up to block it before lowering them slowly as his sensitive, demonic sight got used to it.

A stone passageway set before him, Jin took it cautiously to find himself in the old ruins Neleen spoke of. "Ruins indeed," he gasped, as he saw nothing but remains of the once wonderful city from the entrance. Finding a place to douse his torch he had created, Jin did so as he hurried outside of the stone overhang, which still stood proudly. "I'm almost there!" He said as encouragement to himself, taking flight to make haste through the remains of the capital.

Nothing appeared to be left, Jin noticed, as he continued on his journey. Only rock and rubble was left to give an idea as to what was once there. Jin could only wonder what could have caused such devastation before finding something, which caught his eyes immediately. "There it is!" He exclaimed aloud, diving down to an altar in the very center of the ruins. His feet hitting the cold, broken ground, he ran to the true rune in attempts to remove it from where it was being kept, forgetting the warning he was given. His hands landing upon the rune, a shock raked through his body, sending the wind master flying in the opposite direction where his back hit a corroded pillar harshly. Coughing heavily from the wind being knocked out of him, he looked up through his wet hair in wonder as to what just occurred. It was then what Neleen had told him dawned upon Jin.

"…I will be able to do it and release the seal upon the door, but it will be up to you to break the seal on the True Water Rune…"

"Up to me…" his voice trailed off. Jin closed his eyes and shook his head at the thought of trying to break a seal he knew nothing about. Getting back to his feet, he glared down the glowing rune, surrounded by a powerful spell as the rain continued to come down and dampened his form. "I don't care if I have to rip this blasted thing off its pedestal—it is coming with me!" Running towards the rune once more, he grabbed onto it tightly only to have the same reaction once more. This time, however, he refused to let go of it. "**NO**!" He growled through his teeth. "I won't leave this place without you!" The power being too much for him at one point, Jin howled in agony and fell to his knees, releasing the true rune.

His hands becoming fists, he pounded one onto the ground angrily. "No…no…**NO**!" His body shaking in anger and frustration, Jin was unable to think of a solution to the situation he was within. "Please don't do this," Jin begged somberly as he lied there out on the ground. His eyes shimmering with tears, he thought only about Touya and the times they shared together. "Please…I just don't want him to die…" Closing his eyes tightly, he sucked in his lower lip. The images of Touya flashing again and again in his mind, his heart could only hurt so much worse at the thought of losing him.

Bringing himself back together, he gazed back up through the downpour at the true rune. He slowly pushed himself back up to his feet though staggered a bit from the pain still raking through his body. "He is everything I have. He is the only thing I have," he confessed to those willing to hear. "Please don't let me have come this far to turn back now. I refuse to do so. All I want is for him to live…"

His words obviously touching someone or something, a bright light suddenly began to emit from the rune. It was so bright that it lit up the darkness surrounding the city, causing him to raise his arms yet again to keep the light at bay until his pupils could adjust. The orb of light seemed to encase the true rune. It removed the ancient artifact from the altar it was upon and hovered there soon before the wind master. "What…?" He wondered to himself as he opened his hands to allow it to rest there in his palms.

The whispers hissing through the rain once more, Jin looked ahead to see a white mist come together in the figure of Neleen. "Jin," her voice whispered upon the wind. She smiled best she could in the form she was granted. "I knew you could do it. Nobody of evil or selfish intentions could break our magic barrier. Even if you were born of evil, I knew not an ounce of it was left within your body."

"Neleen…" His face wet by the rain and covered mostly by his shaggy hair, he had not the ability to look into her eyes. "I am still sorry for what I have done to you."

"I foresaw my time," Neleen expressed once more. "I was told by the spirits that creatures born in evil would lead me to my time in an unexpected way. When I saw you near our boarders, I knew you were the one, but I wasn't ready to sacrifice myself for some demonic being." She paused and recollected her selfish thoughts, not proud to admit them though they were true. "It wasn't until you told me your story about your ill stricken friend that I knew that there was more to the both of you then met the eye, but I didn't want to see that right away."

"Neleen, I…"

Neleen shushed the wind master by placing her fingers upon his lips. "I have a new life waiting for me after I left my physical form. I have no regrets for what has happened." Her gentle smile turned into a serious frown there within the darkness of the storm. "However, you must hurry, Jin. Your friend doesn't have much time left. Please, he needs you now. I will be, forever, within the woods surrounding Alma Kinan." With that said, she disappeared within the darkness, leaving the wind master to complete his journey.

Jin tried to recollect himself after what he had just seen. Shaking his head to bring himself back to reality, he pocked the True Water Rune and took to the skies once more no matter how dangerous the conditions were.

-

Regardless of how long it took him to run through the wild storm, Jin soon found himself back at the gates of Alma Kinan. The lightening and thunder still raging about with the wind blowing harshly in every which direction, his bare feet splashed through the dirt and mud to make it to the inn quickly. Throwing open the door, he made it into the hallway and tore down to his bedroom where he and Touya slept together.

"I have it!" He yelled excitedly though, obviously, out of breath and soaking wet. "I have it!"

Sur'don didn't seem to turn around right away as Piper did. "Oh, Jin…" Her tone suggested sadness when she spoke. It brought a sort of dread to the wind master as he realized a lot more people were in the room that needed to be as his smile of triumph faded.

The villagers parted from one another to allow him through as he made it to Touya's bedside, seeing nothing but the ice master sleeping on his back with one hand over his chest while the other rested at his side, Touya's fingers slightly curled to almost create a fist. Kneeling at the bedside, he gazed at the doctor with a curious expression. "What…what is it? What is wrong?"

Swallowing hard, Dr. Sur'don looked at Jin with a shake of his head. "He passed away three hours ago, Jin. I am sorry that there was nothing I could do."

"No…please, no, don't say that!" Jin begged as the tears he almost always refused to show began to flow down his cheeks. "Please…please…!" He looked to the others, hoping this was some cruel joke only to find all of the villagers looking away from him, too ashamed to gaze him directly in the eyes. His tear filled eyes looking to the 'slumbering' Touya, he cupped the back of his head and helped the ice demon at least sit-up in his arms as he brought him to his chest. Jin could tell by how lifeless the body felt that Touya had indeed passed on without him. "**TOUYA**!"

Having to hear such a commotion from what he thought was a grown man tugged at Sur'don's heart as he removed himself from the chair he was sitting within. "We should leave him alone for awhile," he suggested to those who wished they could help.

"Why…? Why did you leave me…?" He asked sorrowfully over and over again as he buried his face into Touya's messy and thin hair. As he cradled the ice demon in his embrace, he heard something tap upon the wooden floor. The sound catching his attention, he placed Touya back down upon the covers before reaching under the bed where the object fell to pull it into clear view. It was a round, perfect jewel, the size of small pearl. It baffled Jin as to why Touya would have such an object in his hands until it dawned upon him.

"_Your tear frozen" Jin recalled saying in the past to Touya._

"_It's a reason why ice demons never shed normal tears. Usually they turn into jewels, but it's more frequent for the women of this village more so than the males," Touya explained with a shrug. "However, for males, we only cry jewels when we choose to—normally in a fit of joy more so than sadness. It is usually given to the one we love."_

"_I hope to one day receive mine."_

"_I am sure one day it will come," Touya's voice echoed through Jin's mind._

Realizing the tear had been given to him as a symbol of Touya's love, it made the departure all the more painful for Jin as he held the item close to his chest. "What have I done to deserve this…?" Not having the energy or desire to even move, Jin rested his body next to Touya's with a sorrowful expression at reminding himself his companion wasn't sleeping, but forever departed from the physical realm.

Above the physical realm, however, Koenma was watching the scene below carefully, as he had his eyes upon the ice master for some time, knowing he was to pass soon. The spirit of the creature resting in suspended animation in the heavens before him about the many roads within the Spirit Realm, he thought long and hard on the situation at hand. His cheery Grim Reaper next to him, Koenma felt her pleading gaze upon him. "I would say in his past and present life, he did commit quite a few crimes, which would lead me to punish him again."

Botan gasped at hearing Koenma say such a thing, hoping he wouldn't consider such an act.

"However," the fair ruler began, "it is under my belief that the last few years have shown me something quite interesting about these two. They are not the demons they have been born to be. They have made up for their sins." Here, Koenma nodded at Botan. "I do believe he has earned his life renewed." With a simple wave of his hand, the spirit of the ice master glowed a bright light before it was sent back to the physical body it had come from.

With all the commotion Jin put himself through, the wind master had fallen asleep right next to the body of Touya. He was not awake to witness as Touya scrunched up his face and flexed his body slightly as he stirred awake. Opening his eyes slowly, he let them focus to the world he believed he left behind. "What…where am I…" He wondered to himself as his eyes shifted about. "I am…alive?" Moving his hand to his throat, he found that it no longer hurt whenever he breathed or swallowed. Touya also noted that the taste of blood was not hinted anywhere. His narrow, icy-orbs gazed down upon the slumbering wind master beside him. He smiled a relieved and excited smile as he saw his companion there beside him. "Jin…!" He whispered excitedly as he shook the redhead roughly. "Jin! I am awake! I am alive!"

Jin was still extremely exhausted when he finally was able to find his body again from the deep sleep he was within. Opening his eyes slowly, he was unable to believe at what he was witnessing before his very eyes. Adrenalin rushing through his body, he woke up a lot quicker then usual. His blue eyes wide and his mouth open, he was speechless at seeing Touya alive and obviously well. "It cannot be…! I thought you were dead!"

"Shut up and just hug me, you fool," Touya insisted happily as he hugged Jin tightly, burying his face into his neck. Pulling back from the hug, Touya witnessed as Jin was crying tears of joy at having his loved one returned. Reaching his thumbs up to his eyes, he cleared them away for the wind master. "I am back where I belong, and I couldn't be happier." Inching forwards, Touya leaned in for a kiss.

Feeling his icy lips upon his own put a lot of ease on his once broken heart. "I thought I lost you forever," he whispered, resting his forehead upon Touya's. "Thank whatever creature is watching over us…"

"So you believe in such things?" Touya questioned with a raise of his brow inquisitively.

"When such miracles happen before my eyes…yes, I do," Jin answered sincerely as he kept a tight embrace upon the ice master.

* * *

Jin threw the last of their belongings upon Wind Song's sturdy back, tying it down so that it wouldn't get jostled from the playful griffon. The mythical creature craning his head around to nuzzle the wind demon, Jin was there to stroke the half bird's beak. "I know you don't want to leave, and neither does Touya, but we shouldn't stay here and burden the others."

It would be three months before the demons decided it was time to pack up and leave the Grassland tribe. Touya had gathered the last of his things as well when he ran into the doctor and Piper at the lobby of the inn on his way outside. "Oh, I see you both haven't left yet either," said Touya with a chuckle as he dropped his bags upon the floor.

"We wanted to be able to see you both off and make sure you didn't want to stay with the Grassland tribes. You know they would welcome you," Sur'don insisted, trying to persuade the demons to stay, as he had grown attached to them as well.

"I know very well they would but, we cannot afford to trouble the Alma Kinan any longer," said Touya as he sat down upon an empty seat nearby the doctor. "Besides, Jin tells me he wants to explore the world of what is beyond the Grassland and Zexen territories. With all that has happened, we realize even for demons, life is too short to stay cooped up in an inn day in and day out." He got to his feet, causing the boards to creak beneath him as he did so. Grabbing up his luggage, he threw it over his shoulder like it was nothing. "We thank you all for your hospitality and taking us in when nobody else would. You have no idea how much it meant to us."

Piper was silent during the conversation. She did appear to have something on her mind, but she dared not say it until the demon waved goodbye to them both and made his way outside of the inn and down the stairs to meet up with Jin. Rushing to the inn door, she threw it open and called out the demon's name to stop him. "Touya, wait a moment!" She urged as she hurried down the stairs. When the ice master stopped to listen to what she had to say, the Grassland woman made sure to come in close to him. "I am sorry if you take this wrong but, you have no idea how lucky you are to have who you do."

Touya's expression was filled with shock and a bit of seriousness until gazing over at the wind master Piper was looking at. He thought about everything Jin did for him the past few months, a smile pressed upon his face as well as a light chuckle emitting from his throat. "Piper," he began between the two of them, "I understand your feelings for him. When I met Jin, he was hard to resist in such a way. He just has that aura about him, you know?" Here, he placed his hand upon her shoulder. "But I promise, I don't ever take the love he gives me for granted."

Holding her hands to her chest, she nodded at Touya. "I am envious. I couldn't help but be so for a good while." She sighed, lowering her head upon feeling guilty. "I guess that is my sin to share."

"Your sin will disappear as soon as you find the one for you." Touya was offering her what hope he could. "I pray you do find the one your heart yearns for, but in the mean time, I better get on my way." He waved goodbye to Piper as well as the doctor, who was reappearing from the inn door.

Jin got upon the back of Wind Song, helping Touya along as well. Upon doing so, Galleria soon made her appearance before the two, wishing to see them off as well. "Thank you so much for allowing us to stay and giving us the hope you could. It means a lot."

Galleria smiled a tender smile as she reached her hands up as if to embrace Jin but placed them there upon his cheeks. "May those damned in hell turn around to be as wonderful as you two are. It is amazing what the power of love can do to some people. It sure can vanquish all evils." It was as if that realization brought tears to the young shaman's eyes, but she withheld them for their departure. Moving her hands from Jin's cheeks, she brought them together as if to pray. "I have no doubt the winds will be with you when you travel on your journey far from here. But please remember, you're always welcome back at the Alma Kinan."

Wind Song's wings beginning to flap excitedly, the griffon lifted several inches off of the ground. Jin and Touya waved goodbye to the villagers and fellow Grasslanders before the creature took off into the skies to disappear above the canopy. With the sight of the world before them, Jin held onto the reins of Wind Song, grinning over his shoulder at Touya. "So where to first, my love?"

Touya held onto Jin tightly, not wishing to fall from Wind Song's back. Thinking about the world set out before them, he merely answered, "I don't care. As long as I am with you, I don't care where the wind takes us."

The griffon flying high with a loud kree, the two ventured to the north hoping for a better life, which was granted to them anew.

END

**END NOTES**: Yeah, sorry for this chapter being so damn long, but my last ones or major ones tend to always be. oO; So it is officially 8:19 AM in the morning upon me finishing this, I had _**NO**_ sleep yet, and it is my 25th birthday! Hooray! =P

The reason I was primarily focusing on this piece was because it was so closed to being finished, and I wanted to get it completed to knock a story off of my list I have. And even though there are now two out in circulation, I have a lot more in private, so having this one done is a nice breather for me. Phew!

Suikoden III was an excellent game full of wonderful places, but the Alma Kinan Tribe had to be my absolute favorite place. I play their theme music "Mysterious People" whenever I need to relax. It just takes me to a whole new level of serenity. The game with its three major plotlines and many characters to choose from grew on me like a major addiction when I first played it. I just couldn't put it down! So, I decided to throw my fandom into it, thus this story was born.

I was going to actually kill off Touya in this story, but I always seem to not be able to do that. I either don't have the heart to do it, or I get enough people glaring at me if I ever mention doing so. Hehe =P Also, the illness Touya was stricken with was lung cancer.

Yes, I apologize for the complete and totally OOC attitudes. Sadly, there is only so much you can gather from Jin and Touya as people in the YYH universe as they don't appear as frequently as one wants them to. =( So, I hope they weren't too dissatisfying in that department.

Also, Sana is not copywrite to me—I meant to add that in the beginning, but I am too lazy to do so. She was the chief of the Chisha Clan in the game, thus not belonging to me. =P

Thanks to all of those who review for your support. Love ya! =)


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